Mistakes
by thejadespirit
Summary: What would happen if Katara became ambassador to the Fire Nation? Will Zuko and Katara finally realize their feelings together as they chase down a network of bandits and thieves?
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, first off, this IS written after having watched Sozin's Comet, so anyone who doesn't want any HINT of it yet, you probably shouldn't read further. But, for all those who were MAJORLY disturbed by the obvious decimation of Zutara on the finale, I have a new fanfiction. believe me, despite the fact that the show--and its ending--are majorly kick ass, i wanted to kill Michael Dante Di Martino and Aaron Ehasz for the lack of zutaraness. i mean, they dangled it in front of our faces for nearly three seasons and snatched it away! deep breath but i am learning to live with their choices and have decided to completely ignore that particular aspect of the series finale and just enjoy it as the wonderful, animated, epic piece that it is. **

**so, for all those who are still on that Zutara flagship, here's Mistakes!**

**disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. if I did, there would be no reason for me to write this fanfic, because Zutara would be a REALITY.**

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**Chapter One**

The Fire Lord sighed deeply, his golden eyes gazing out across the courtyard. At nineteen, he wielded the power of a nation which, two years ago, stood poised to burn the world to ashes. And then, just as quickly as a candle flame, that power was snuffed out by the efforts of a few.

Zuko frowned and turned from the window. He had betrayed his family and his country in order to save the world and yet here he was, Lord over the very Nation he had set out to stop. With a grateful people, a beautiful girlfriend, and a prestigious title, Zuko had everything he wanted. And yet something eluded him.

Silently, Mai approached Zuko and slipped her arms around him. "What are you thinking about?" she asked in her level voice, tone husky.

Another small sigh escaped Zuko's lips as he leaned into Mai. But her eyes were not the ones he saw. Instead, he saw sapphire eyes filled with a mixture of concern and relief. Instead of Mai's coiffed black hair, he saw a wild mass of brown.

Shaking his head to quell the image, Zuko stepped away from Mai, trying to bring forth a smile. "Nothing in particular," he answered her. He gently kissed her. "Just thinking about the war--and the Fire Nation."

"You're worried?"

He nodded. "We have so much to make up for--destroying the Air Nomads, attacking the Water Tribes, and occupying the Earth Kingdom." His golden eyes closed. "Sometimes I feel as if we can never atone for our mistakes."

"But Zuko," Mai protested quietly, "you can't let that stop you from trying."

Zuko looked away, his heart contracting at her words. They were pleasant, the type of words he once would have said himself. But her words of encouragement paled in comparison to the wisdom and kindness of another. "Yeah."

At that moment, a servant entered the room and bowed. "My Lord, the Avatar is here."

He nearly flinched. If Aang were here announced, it meant this was an official visit. And, as with every official visit from the Avatar, the young airbender did not come alone.

"Mai, leave us," Zuko ordered, straightening. Mai hesitated a moment, eyes flashing in irritation. But, without a word, she turned on her heel. As the young woman complied, the Fire Lord put on his mask. And, though it was not the ornate one he once wore, it was just as cool and distant.

At that moment, the doors to the throne room opened, revealing two figures. One was tall and thin--an after effect of a few growth spurts--with a blue arrow instead of hair and gray eyes filled with warmth. He dressed simply, the only adornment accompanying his yellow robes being the amulet of the Avatar.

The other figure, however, drew Zuko's attention more than that of the last airbender. Dark hair swirled about her shoulders and eyes the color of the ocean looked at him, cool and distant. She wore robes of the deepest blue, more ornate than those the Fire Lord remembered. A silver moon glimmered above her heart, proclaiming her high status to the world. This was not a peasant, not in the least.

The two walked across the throne room, their movements betraying their affiliations just as loudly as their clothing. Aang glided more than walked, moving through the air with ease. Katara, too, glided over the floor, but her movements were as sinuous as one of her famed water whips.

As the two approached, Zuko locked gazes with Aang and his mask fell. A smile lit his features and he embraced the younger man with enthusiasm. "It's good to see you, Aang," he said.

Aang grinned. "You, too, Zuko." And then he turned serious. Glancing at Katara, he motioned for Zuko to take his seat.

Knowing something was wrong, Zuko lowered himself onto the throne and observed the subtle byplay between Katara and Aang. They seemed nervous, apprehensive. "What is it?" the Fire Lord asked, knowing an official visit from the Avatar hailed some sort of news.

The Avatar smiled tentatively at Katara and then stepped back, allowing the young woman to take the floor. Taking a deep breath, Katara took a step forward and then bowed formally. When she raised, her face was set. She hated that, even after all these years, she still felt a little tense around Zuko. She did not quite understand it, really, but it was there nonetheless.

"I have been appointed as Ambassador to the Fire Nation," she said formally. "I have been sent here to stay in the Fire Nation for a time, in order to observe the peace you are building." Her blue eyes flashed, showing Zuko the fierce side he remembered so well. "My people, for all their faith in Aang, are not entirely convinced that the Fire Nation has changed."

Zuko nodded, his heart beginning to pound. So the other nations did not entirely trust him, was that it? But, even though it hurt his pride, Zuko understood. He and his people had not been the most trustworthy. No, Katara's admission of her people's doubts was not what made his heart beat nervously. Her announcement that _she_ would be staying in the Fire Nation as the Water Tribe's envoy did.

Frowning, the Fire Lord leaned forward. "Why would they send you?" he asked, voice harsher than he intended.

At Zuko's tone, Katara scowled. "Look, I don't want to be here, either," she said, "but they didn't trust anyone else to come."

"Besides," Aang cut in, "Katara's the princess of the Southern Water Tribe; it's a show of good faith."

"What?" Princess of the Southern Water Tribe? It was the first Zuko had ever heard of it. Since when was Katara a princess?

Knowing Zuko's thoughts, Katara's expression darkened. "My father _is_ the leader of the Southern Water Tribe," she said, exasperated. "And, though we're not as formal as the Northern Tribe, we _do_ have a hierarchy." She shrugged. "Not only that, but--besides Pakku--I am the only waterbender at the South Pole."

"Oh. Yeah."

Aang stepped forward and beamed at Katara. "Not to mention you're the _best_ waterbender," he reminded her.

Zuko watched, amused, as a slight blush spread across Katara's cheeks. At seventeen, she had lost most of her younger roundness and she now had the beautiful, prominent cheekbones of her people, her dark skin accentuating blue eyes which had darkened perceptively over time. But, for all her beauty, Katara _was_ the best waterbender among her people--perhaps the greatest ever known. Though mostly commended for her great healing skills, Zuko knew all too well how great her fighting skills were--and how terrifying. He remembered once watching as Katara used her bending to contort a man like a doll, bending the very blood in his veins. A Bloodbender.

"I don't know about that, Aang," Katara said softly, looking away. After a moment, she looked back up at Zuko. "In any case, I'm here as an envoy to your people." She crossed her arms over her chest. "And that means I'm going to be here, watching every move you make."

The Fire Lord nearly laughed. Though her threat was very real, Zuko did not feel threatened. After all, he had seen Katara at her deadliest--and fiercest. Though she meant what she said, Zuko knew he could relax.

"All right," he said, rising. "As our second foreign ambassador has arrived, I think a feast is in order."

"Second?" Katara echoed.

"Yeah, Sugar Queen," came a familiar voice. "Got a problem with that?"

Before anyone could blink, Aang had turned and was hurtling himself towards the blind young woman. "Toph!" he cried, stopping short of tackling her.

The young earthbender grinned. "Hey Twinkle Toes."

Aang looked the other fifteen year old over, happy to see her. It had been nearly a year since they had last met and Aang found he had missed the caustic girl. And now, Toph stood before him, looking different and yet still the same. She wore robes similar to the old Dai Li of Ba Sing Se, though a mixture of greens in place of the black. She had grown a bit in the past year, taking on the hint of a woman's figure. But, even as Aang thought how much she had changed, he saw her dirty, scuffed bare feet and knew she had not.

"You're the ambassador of the Earth Kingdom?" Katara asked, walking over and hugging the younger woman.

"Yep," Toph replied. "My parents were getting too…controlling again. So, during a visit to Omashu, I asked King Bumi to help me out." The girl shrugged. "He snorted and told my parents that 'metal needs to be near fire.' I guess that was his way of announcing me ambassador. After that, the Earth King, still traveling with Boscoe, sent me here."

"So none of the other Nations trust me," Zuko said, "but at least they sent you two and not some stodgy old fools."

"Did someone say stodgy?"

"I believe, Fire Lord Zuko, that you are overlooking one major party."

Zuko whirled and faced his Uncle, a look of disbelief on his face. "U-uncle? Why are you here? What happened to your tea shop?"

General Iroh smiled and moved to stand beside Zuko, followed closely by Jong Jong. "I decided to return here and see how my favorite nephew was doing," he said. "And to suggest that, while you are accepting liaisons to other nations, you might send a few in return."

The Fire Lord stared at the two older men for a minute before smiling. "Well, Uncle, I guess that means you'll have to move your tea shop into the Earth King's palace." He laughed. "And Jong Jong, I hope you don't mind the cold."

Jong Jong gave a slight shrug. "As long as I don't have to live in an ice palace, I'll be fine."

Katara laughed. "Will an igloo be all right?"

Aang jumped up into the air enthusiastically. "All right! Now, when's that feast? I have a few new tricks I'd like to show off."

As Zuko called for a servant, he watched Katara and Aang. The young airbender hovered close to Katara, his gray eyes always seeking hers out. Zuko's heart tightened as Katara lightly hugged the Avatar. But he shook off the feeling. The two had made their relationship no secret, and Zuko had Mai. So why did his heart hurt every time he saw that waterbender and the Avatar acting so…happy together?

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**so, there's my first chapter. the second one is coming very soon...please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**the second chapter is up! you know, i began writing this not even an hour after seeing Sozin's Comet. There were so many loose ends, I just can't wait to see if there's anything to tie them up. well, anyway. on to the zutaraness...**

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**Chapter Two**

"Zuko, I'm leaving."

The Fire Lord looked at Mai, astonished. And confused. "What do you mean, 'leaving?'" he demanded. "Are you going on vacation or something?"

Mai sighed, her eyes moving over Zuko's face as if trying to memorize it. "Zuko, we've been together for two years," she said. "But in all that time, we've hardly done anything." She looked away as her eyes started to fill. "You always have a faraway look and you pull away every time I try to get close to you."

Zuko lifted his hand to take hold of her but Mai moved out of reach. "I don't know what's going on with you anymore, Zuko," she said, "and I'm tired of waiting for you to tell me." Mai shook her head. "So I'm leaving. If you decide to let me in again, let me know. Until then, I'll be with Ty Lee."

"What? You're going to the _Earth Kingdom_?" Zuko asked incredulously. "But why?"

Mai turned away and began walking away, her heart breaking with every step. "I love you Zuko, but I think we both need some time to figure things out." She looked back. "I know you're still trying to adjust to being the Fire Lord. So I'll wait for you…"

Zuko could only stare silently as Mai disappeared. And then he let out a frustrated shout. Why did all the women in his life just walk away? Why did they always leave him? And then blue eyes flashed in his mind. _She didn't leave you_, a voice whispered. "She's not mine," Zuko growled. "Besides, I love Mai." _Don't I?_

* * *

The Fire Lord was still scowling when he walked into the large dining hall, thoughts still replaying Mai's words. _How could she think I was distant?_ he silently asked. _I'm not…_ Zuko stopped, coming to attention as he spotted the newest Ambassador to the Fire Nation. _She's…_ He mentally shook his head. _She's not Mai_, he thought deliberately, turning away. But he couldn't escape the sight of her.

In his mind's eye, he saw her, looking like the princess she was. Katara was wearing a long, flowing gown, form-fitting at the top and spilling from her waist like water. It started out as blue as the sea before slowly changing to the color of ice as it reached her slippered feet. Her dark hair cascaded in waves, spilling across bare shoulders and brushing against her slim waist. Dark kohl outlined her eyes, making their blue depths contrast even more with her dusky skin. She was beautiful.

"Ah, it is the Fire Lord," one of the nobles murmured, bowing towards Zuko. And then, as one, the entire party bowed as well, causing Zuko a familiar sense of embarrassment. After so many years of banishment, such attention disconcerted him, even after two years as Fire Lord.

At that moment, Aang approached him, Katara on his arm and Toph following just a step behind.

"This is a great party, Zuko," Aang said enthusiastically, glancing around the room with wide eyes. "It's amazing how fast you put it together.

Zuko just nodded at Aang's compliment, trying not to let his eyes stray towards Katara. She looked so…feminine. It robbed him of breath. _Stop!_ he silently ordered himself. _I love Mai. And we're still together._

"It's nice to see you finally showed, Zuko, when the feast is already over," Katara said caustically, somehow annoyed with the fact that he had yet to look at her. She looked pointedly at him. "Where's Mai?"

The Fire Lord stiffened. "She's…gone."

Katara paused, hearing the note of pain in Zuko's voice. She knew suddenly what he meant when he said "gone." Then again, she had sensed an undercurrent earlier, when she met with Mai to discuss some details. The sorrow and determination Katara sensed in the other woman, then, had been about this.

"Oh," Katara said softly, feeling elated without knowing why. Quickly, she turned to Aang and flashed him a brilliant smile. "Let's dance," she announced, offering her hand.

Aang beamed and took her hand, grateful that Katara was so open about her feelings. A small frown flitted across his face. For a while now, he had glimpsed a hesitation in the waterbender. In public, she always seemed so distant. And even when they were alone, that aloofness remained. Suddenly, Aang shrugged. Maybe she was getting over it. Another smile tugged at his lips and the Avatar slipped a hand into his pocket, feeling the item he had worked so long on. Maybe tonight…

Zuko watched with a pang as Katara danced with the Avatar, her body moving so close to the young bender's. For a moment, Zuko wished he could take Aang's place. But then he buried it. Mai. He missed her.

Filled with a sudden melancholy, Zuko turned his attention to Toph, but the earthbender held up her hands and shook her head. "Oh no," she said, moving back a few steps. "I don't dance."

Laughing now, Zuko took her hand and led her out into the fray. "Just one, Ambassador," he insisted. "It's customary."

Sighing in defeat and wondering if shaking the Palace to the ground would save her, Toph allowed Zuko to begin leading her in an unfamiliar dance. Though she could "see" using her earthbending, Toph _never_ danced. But, when the song ended, Toph decided dancing was not so bad. Her thoughts drifted to Aang. _Especially_ if it was done with someone else… _He's not mine_, she thought.

Despite the fact that Toph had enjoyed herself, she felt the need to save face. Grinning evilly, she turned to where she knew Katara stood. "Oh Katara," she sang. "Can you come here for a moment?"

Not liking the tone of Toph's voice, Katara approached cautiously, still feeling flushed from her dance with Aang. But, when Toph pushed her up against Zuko, the waterbender blushed, sending a quick glance towards Aang. "Toph!"

Zuko, too, blushed, and looked furiously at Toph, but to no avail. She could not see it anyway. "What is this?"

"It's customary," Toph answered blithely. Smirking now, she grabbed hold of Aang. "Come on, Twinkle Toes. If I'm going to dance tonight, I might as well dance with someone my own age." She did not see the red that spilled across his cheeks as she led him away.

As the music started and they started to dance, Katara peeked up at Zuko, feeling mildly embarrassed. "Sorry. Toph's a little forceful."

"Yeah," Zuko murmured, trying to keep his attention anywhere but on the fact that Katara was pressed so close. He had just lost his girlfriend not an hour before!

"So," Katara began, "is it really customary to dance with the Ambassadors?"

Zuko gave a weak laugh. "I guess it is now."

"Oh." She frowned. "Well, I guess now's a good a time as any to start new things."

Startled at her words, Zuko looked down at her, golden eyes falling into her sapphire ones. "As long as the Fire Nation's the one to start new? Get over past mistakes, right?" Even as the words spilled out, Zuko mentally kicked himself.

Katara stiffened in his arms, a frown marring her beautiful features. "You know what, Zuko? You just don't change, do you?" she demanded. And then a sigh escaped her. "The Fire Nation has made a lot of mistakes, and so have you." When Zuko would have said something, Katara pressed a finger against his lips. "No. Hear me out. You've made a lot of mistakes, Zuko, and it might seem that the Fire Nation will never get over theirs. But, really, you've overcome so much, Zuko. You've betrayed and been betrayed. You've _learned_ from your mistakes. And, because of that, I don't think anyone but you can help your people learn from theirs."

He stared at Katara, his lips tingling from her touch. Unconsciously, he moved closer, fitting her body closer to his. He opened his mouth a bit, as if to say something, and Katara hastily pulled her finger away. Her eyes tore away from his and she blushed again.

"Sorry. I probably sound like an idiot."

"No," Zuko whispered, catching hold of her hand. He brought it closer to his mouth. "You said just what I needed to hear." He smiled and brushed his lips across her knuckles. "How do you do that?"

Nervous now, Katara tried to shrug nonchalantly. "I don't know," she said. "Zuko--"

"Katara!"

The two dancers turned to find Aang bounding up to them. They broke hastily apart and Katara went to Aang's side. "What is it?" she asked, eyes still betraying the mixed emotions lingering from the dance with Zuko.

The Avatar stopped at Katara's attention, his heart fluttering at the look in Katara's eyes. All thoughts from before fled his mind and he abruptly took hold of her hands. _Now_, a voice whispered.

"Aang?" Katara whispered, feeling a stillness creeping into her.

There was a long moment of silence and then Aang smiled hesitantly. "Katara, you know I love you, right?" he asked, ignoring Zuko and the strange look that passed over his face.

"What's this about, Aang?" Katara demanded gently, flustered.

Aang let go of one of Katara's hands and dug into his pocket. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you for a long time, Katara, but I didn't know how." He shook his head. "And then I figured it out." Triumphantly, he pulled his hand from his pocket and presented it to Katara.

She could only stare at the small, shell pendant nestled in Aang's hand. It was beautiful and must have taken a long time to make. But its beauty did not hide its significance from Katara--or from the firebender standing beside her.

Zuko stared at the necklace in the Avatar's hand, feeling his heart sink. He shouldn't care, but he did. Oh, Agni, he did. He had spent two years with Mai but he had never been able to rid himself of a pair of sapphire eyes. And, no matter how much he hated it, no matter how many times he told himself he loved Mai…and no matter how many times he tried to convince himself that he did not care about Katara, he did.

"Aang…" Katara breathed, looking up at him with her dark blue eyes. "What…?"

The young airbender took a deep breath and lifted the pendant, letting the black ribbon tied to it dangle. "Katara, I love you and I don't want to lose you. Will you marry me?"

A faint intake of breath announced Toph's presence, but neither Katara nor Aang looked at her. Instead, the airbender waited as his waterbending love stared at him, eyes dark with something he almost--but not quite--recognized.

"Oh, Aang," Katara breathed. "I…I'm so confused," she admitted. "I don't know. This is so sudden."

Aang's heart thumped hard at Katara's words, almost stealing his air, but he managed a small smile. Handing over the necklace, he whispered, "Then keep it, and think about it." And, without another word, he left the dining hall. Somehow, Katara knew he would not be staying in the Fire Nation that night.

Zuko stepped forward. "Katara," he began, nearly ready to offer her congratulations. But, as he tried to continue, he found the words would not come. Instead, he subsided as the young woman walked past him, eyes staring down at the necklace in her hands.

_What am I going to do?_ Katara thought desperately as she left the hall. _I love Aang, but…but what? Why am I hesitating?_ she asked herself. But, as she climbed into bed, still clutching the betrothal necklace, golden eyes came to mind. Desperately, she chased them away, but Katara had no control over dreams.

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**eeee! i was so excited to watch Sozin's comet; I was absolutely certain Zutara would happen. Unfortunately, it did not. So I guess I'll have to be content with my version...well, please review! tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**First, before I say anything else, I want to thank everyone who reviewed. Every word is appreciated, even one said in criticism (believe me, I like to know what I'm doing wrong! )...and I also ask for a moment of silence in honor of the lost zutara... ... ...okay. I know all zutara-fans were screaming at the end of Sozin's Comet--believe me, my family is still complaining about the horrible scream _I_ made--and i'm glad so many people have found at least a tiny bit of closure with this story. That pairing was so obvious, I was completely devastated that it didn't happen. But, luckily, I still have my imagination. And, as with Fred in the last Harry Potter book, I still have the wonderful ability to deny any sort of unsavory scene...**

**disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. If I--or any other fan, i'm sure--did, then Sozin's Comet (no matter how much it tried to provide closure) would not have been the end of Aang and the Gaang. **

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Chapter Three

As soon as Zuko reached the solitude of his room, he shed his clothes and changed into his sleeping pants. With a barely suppressed groan, he climbed into bed, his hand unconsciously going to the scar on his chest. On long days like this, he could not help but feel weary, sapped.

His body, it seemed, never forgot about the raw energy his sister sent through him on that day two years ago. And it never ceased to remind him he would never feel that amount of energy again. But, as he drifted into dreams, his body felt a different sort of energy, one that burned long and slow.

* * *

_He stood by the sea, breeze gently tugging at his shaggy hair. He could smell the ocean, feel the beating heart of it. The sea beckoned with gentle words of empathy and acceptance, murmuring words Zuko barely heard but understood nonetheless. _

_The firebender in him warned against nearing the sea but the Fire Lord did not listen. Slowly, he walked into the water's embrace, feeling for a moment, the ghostly arms of a woman. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to just _feel.

_The water surrounded him, held him close with infinite care, even as gentle fingers brushed against his scars--one from fire, dulled with time, the other from lightning, still aching. Zuko opened his eyes, wanting to see who was there, in the water. But when he did, he saw nothing but the indistinct form of a woman, too faint to recognize. _

* * *

Zuko woke, feeling confused. Shaking his head, he glanced at the empty space beside him. And then he remembered. _Mai is gone… _But with that memory came others. The feast, dancing with Katara…Aang's proposal to the beautiful young waterbender…

He stared at the bed for a moment longer before rising. He crossed the room and opened his wardrobe, absently examining the clothes inside. Normally, servants would attend him, but Zuko had long since dispensed with such idiotic and insipid habits. He could dress himself.

After deciding on his attire, he called for a bath to be drawn, his thoughts still on the night before. Mai's disappearance troubled him, but he knew she would be fine. The noble girl often proved quite resilient and anyone stupid enough to cross her would hardly be able to do so again.

Later, his morning routine complete, Zuko went on into the throne room, determined to start the day in a better mood than the night before. As he lowered himself onto the throne, he glanced towards the small trenches before him. In times past, great flames separated the Fire Lord and the rest of the world. But, like many of the old traditions, Zuko no longer practiced that.

Sometimes, he wearied of sitting in the large throne room all day, but the world never ceased to bring him things to do. He never grew bored, certainly. But today, he sat alone, with Mai no longer accompanying him.

But not completely alone. No, the people of the Fire Nation adored their new Fire Lord, the young man who helped to end the war and bring their soldiers back home. And many people adorned the large chamber in which their leader sat, waiting for the chance simply to speak with him. But Zuko still felt alone. There was no one who truly understood him, truly understood the struggles he had endured…

Suddenly, Zuko sat straighter. But there were! Though Mai was gone, Zuko still had those he could talk to, disguised as emissaries from the other nations. A bit more excited now, Zuko turned to a servant.

"Could you inform the new ambassadors that I require them here?" he asked.

The servant, still unused--even after two years--to the Fire Lord's polite orders, blinked and then bowed. "Of course, Fire Lord Zuko," he intoned before rushing off.

As the Fire Lord waited for the ambassadors to join him, he decided to get down to business. Many people required the attention of the Fire Lord and Zuko soon found himself absorbed in a long-winded--but informative--discussion of crops.

* * *

Katara groaned as a knock on her chamber door woke her. Slowly, she opened her eyes and sat up. She frowned slightly as an image from her dreams flashed through her mind but it left as quickly as it came, leaving Katara feeling as if she were forgetting something important.

Raising her hands, she stretched languorously, stopping only when something tickled her cheek. Curious, Katara opened her hand, only to close it hastily. The engagement necklace. "Aang."

As the night's events came crashing back to her, Katara wanted nothing more than to bury her head beneath the covers and never come back up. But, thankfully, the feeling passed and she stood, only vaguely aware of the fact that she still wore her evening dress.

Walking into one of the adjoining chambers, Katara found a bath waiting for her and she stripped before gladly sinking into the warm, scented water. What she needed, she thought, was a nice, relaxing day. Without worrying over Aang, and without having to deal with Zuko. But it was not to be.

Just as Katara finished dressing, another knock interrupted her reverie and a servant came in. The young woman paused immediately when she saw Katara, blinking. "Oh," she said quietly. "I thought you might have needed…" she trailed off and then seemed to get a hold of herself. "Ah, the Fire Lord requests your presence, Ambassador, in the throne room."

Katara, in the middle of pulling back her hair, scowled. "Did he say why?"

The servant girl shook her head. "No, he simply requested the presence of the ambassadors, My Lady."

The Water Princess was quiet a moment and then she smiled. "Thank you," she said warmly. "Now, I don't really need any help getting myself dressed, but I appreciate it if you just look in on me once in a while."

The servant girl nodded happily. How had the other woman known she felt a bit useless not having helped the prestigious guest? "You're a lot nicer than people make you out to be," she said. And then, realizing her mistake, the girl covered her mouth.

Katara laughed. "The Southern Raiders have been spreading rumors, have they?" she asked lightly. She did not mind the girl's words. After all, she had a reputation beyond being just a Healer. Cocking her head to the side, Katara asked, "What's your name?"

"Aki," the girl replied, watching as Katara placed something in a small chest beside her bed.

"Well, Aki, I'm glad to meet you." Katara looked over her shoulder and flashed a smile. "I hope we can be good friends." She turned and moved to leave the room.

"Oh. Ah. I hope so, too," Aki replied, a bit flustered. Though she had heard Katara was healer, warrior, and princess, the older girl seemed really nice and not at all intimidating. Besides that, she was beautiful, more so, Aki thought, than Lady Mai. Or perhaps just in a different way.

--

"…in conclusion, Fire Lord Zuko, we do not know what to do with our stores now that the army has nearly completely disbanded. Though there are still quite a number of soldiers on duty, our people continually gather too much of a supply for them."

Zuko nodded thoughtfully and opened his mouth to speak. But he was interrupted when the doors to the chamber opened, revealing the face of a friend. Katara walked into the throne room, clad in clothes similar to the robes she had arrived in. This time, however, a familiar necklace dangled at the base of her throat.

Zuko stood and bowed to Katara before taking her hand and leading her to one of the seats beside his. "I thought you had lost that thing," he said.

Katara brought a hand to her mother's engagement necklace and smiled faintly. "I've always kept it close," she replied.

"What about the other one?" Zuko asked, eyes sweeping out to look over the other people crowding the room.

Katara turned her head and looked down. "I…don't know."

The Fire Lord nodded curtly and then stood to address his people. "I want to welcome Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, the first Water Tribe Ambassador to the Fire Nation."

Applause met his announcement with enthusiasm. But the show of appreciation was soon drowned out by a faint rumble and a loud shout. "I AM PERFECTLY FINE!! I'M _BLIND_, NOT A BABY!"

Zuko glanced towards Katara and the waterbender began to giggle. It started from her eyes, lighting them like sunlight playing over water. Her face brightened and her lips turned up before her laughter welled up and out. For a moment, butterflies brushed at Zuko's stomach but he ignored them.

Katara laughed harder as the palace continued to shake. "Maybe you should have warned the servants to keep away from Toph so early in the morning."

Zuko started laughing. He could not help it. Katara's laughter, so warm and clear, ignited his own, and he added his own chuckles to the growing noises.

Suddenly, the doors burst open and Toph strode angrily into the chamber, her face still full of anger and indignation. Without any preamble, she stalked up to Zuko. "If you don't tell those clucking _idiots_ to leave me alone, I will not hesitate to take out half this building!"

The room watched anxiously as the obviously irate earthbender yelled at their Fire Lord. But, when Zuko's laughter only got louder, they started to relax. Obviously, this was not something they needed to worry about. Though the thought of a single girl being able to bring down the palace was something to remember.

Still chuckling quietly, Zuko introduced Toph to his court, and then took his seat. Already, the presence of the two women helped him feel more comfortable. Katara's laughter and Toph's antics reminded him of the time just before the comet, when he belonged to the close-knit "Team Avatar."

Smiling, he turned back to the man waiting patiently nearby. "So, about those crops…"

--

Feeling a bit better and knowing Katara might need a bit of company, Zuko turned to her as the crowd slowly filed out of the chamber. "So, can you join me for lunch?" he asked her.

Katara started but nodded. Though the invitation had been unexpected, she was oddly glad Zuko had offered. Often during the morning meetings, her mind had strayed back to Aang and his questions. And, despite her affection for the exuberant air nomad, Katara still felt confused about the entire situation. And she did not want to be alone with her thoughts.

When Katara accepted his request, Zuko sent her a shy smile and offered his arm. "Then I should probably act like a gentleman, huh?" he asked.

"A gentleman?" Katara questioned lightly, taking hold of his arm. "Zuko, I didn't know you had a sense of humor!"

The Fire Lord frowned at her words but then grinned sheepishly when he realized she was teasing him. "Yeah, it was pretty funny, wasn't it?"

"At least funnier than Sokka."

Zuko laughed. "That's for sure." He looked down at Katara, feeling an odd sense of relief. He was glad, suddenly, that Katara was there while Mai was not. Though his Fire Nation love knew him from his younger days and understood him better than most, Zuko couldn't help but feel that Katara knew him at least a little more. She understood him and had the unique ability of calming him.

"So," Katara said cheerily, forcing her gloom from the previous night away, "what's for lunch?"

* * *

Aang sat alone in the abandoned temple, his thoughts turned towards Katara. He had loved her since he first saw her three years ago. And since then, he had traveled a long road with her. When she confirmed her own feelings for him, Aang had been so happy. But now…he always feared Katara might not love him as much as he loved her. But he was willing to give her space. But maybe leaving her with Zuko wasn't the best thing…

He shook his head. In all the time they had been together, Katara never told him what happened between her and Zuko in the caves beneath Ba Sin Se. And he had never pushed it. But he still wondered, still feared something lay between those two.

With a sigh, Aang walked across the uneven stone floor and reached out to Appa. "I guess all I can do is hope she comes back."

* * *

**I was amazed with the number of reviews i recieved for the last two chapters (an so quickly, too!). And I want to thank everyone again. And, if you'd review again, I'd be much oblidged...oh, I also have a hint for future chapters...I wonder, does Zuko know about Katara's little Painted Lady incident? And does Katara know who the Blue Spirit is? just a passing thought...**

**please review**


	4. Chapter 4

**okay, so this chapter is a little shorter than the others, but i hope you'll still enjoy it. i want to thank everyone again for reviewing. and reading (that's a big part, too!). it's nice. Well, onto the chapter, i think...**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Toph moved down the hallway, her bare feet making scarcely a whisper across the welcoming stone floor. She passed doorway after doorway until she came to the one she was searching for. Her face still set, the young earthbender stopped before the door and pushed it open.

With a tiny sigh of relief, she stepped out into the fresh air of the garden. Though the palace was built almost entirely from stone, Toph hated being cooped up inside. She liked the freedom of the outdoors, the feel of the wind.

With a few simple movements, Toph blocked the door she had just gone through and raised her favored earth tent. A shudder passed through her at the thought of the silken bed awaiting her inside. She did not _ever_ want to sleep suspended above the floor again.

After getting comfortable, Toph closed her eyes and let the rhythms of the earth lull her to sleep. She liked her solidarity, liked her time alone. Because then she could think about whatever she wanted and not pay attention to anything else.

She thought about numerous things, each one most likely to shock her friends. She wondered about dancing. And whether it would be as fun with someone she liked. And she wondered about Aang. Toph wondered what he looked like.

Letting out a long breath, Toph rolled over, digging her fingers into the soil beside her. She liked Aang. Really. But loving someone was so complicated, not simple or straightforward. And that always threw her off balance. Not to mention Aang and Katara were…together.

* * *

Katara was looking over some bending scrolls in her room when the door suddenly opened and Zuko burst into the room. At the look on his face, Katara dropped the scrolls and rushed up to him, knowing something happened.

"What's wrong?" she asked, voice rising.

Zuko looked down at Katara, guilt rising just a bit. He was responsible. Of course he was. It had happened in the palace, right under his nose. "Toph's missing."

Katara stared up at him a moment, feeling an immense amount of relief. After a moment, she shrugged. "Oh. Well, if that's all…" She turned to go back to the desk.

Anger flared up and Zuko took hold of her arm. "What do you mean, 'Oh?'" he demanded.

With a laugh, Katara looked back at him. "Toph's probably just outside somewhere," she answered. "She doesn't really like to be kept indoors." Her blue eyes went to the warm hand wrapped around her forearm. "You can let go of me now."

He blinked and looked down at his hand. "Sorry," he muttered, letting go. "I'll just…" he trailed off, golden eyes sliding away from hers. Without another word, he left the room.

Katara stood, looking at the door for a moment, bemused. Shaking her head, she turned and went back to her scrolls. It was funny that Zuko had come to her to solve the problem, and not his guards. But, then, he probably just came to tell her.

--

Zuko walked through the halls, silently berating himself over his stupidity. Of course the earthbender would be outside. He should have remembered something like that! And to have just interrupted Katara over something so stupid…he shook his head. It was late, and he had a long day.

Suddenly, the Fire Lord smiled. It had not seemed quite as long, however, as he first thought it would be. With Katara and Toph with him to hear out the complaints, it almost seemed fun. Toph would always make some sort of snide comment while Katara… She helped him with some of the more complicated requests. She did a good job, too. It made Zuko wonder just what she did at home.

For a moment, Zuko had the urge to go back and talk with Katara. Sometimes, the waterbender was too easy to talk to. He thought about Ba Sing Se, about his talk with Katara then. They opened so much to each other, but then the Avatar came, just when… Zuko brought a hand up to his scar. Back then, the mark meant dishonor. But now, the Fire Lord could not imagine being without it.

His hand slowly traveled down to his chest, where another scar lay, hidden from sight. Made from lightning, it should have been worse, should have killed him. But cool, soothing hands had smoothed the edges, had healed it. But not completely.

Zuko knew Aang carried a similar scar, one given by the same person. That, he knew, _had_ killed. But, amazingly, the Avatar lived, his back healed by those same healing hands Zuko could not put out of his mind. And he wished he could.

* * *

Katara groaned and rubbed her eyes. She was tired; she needed sleep. At least, she thought she did. Katara could not concentrate one her scrolls, but so much energy pooled inside her, she did not want to sleep.

Giving a sigh of defeat, Katara put down her scrolls and left her room.

She wandered about the palace aimlessly, fingers brushing along the stone walls. She felt hollow, lonely without Aang's constant, jovial chatter. No matter how awful Katara felt, the young airbender knew just how to cheer her up. But here, in this giant palace, without him, Katara felt isolated.

True, Toph was there, but the two young women had never been on the best of terms. Though they traveled together, Katara had spent most of her time with Aang and Sokka. And now she regretted not taking more time to strengthen her bond with Toph. Not that they weren't friends…they just weren't close. And after two years, it proved a little hard for the girls to get entirely comfortable without the others there to help.

And then there was Zuko. Despite their late-blooming friendship, Katara still felt tension between them. Like a too-tight string about to break. And she was not entirely certain what would happen if it did.

Opening a door, Katara stepped out into the moonlight. And stopped, sucking in a breath. She had found a garden. Yet not just any garden. Dozens of blossoming trees littered the area, dusting the ground with tiny pink and white petals. Crickets sang to one another from hidden nests and the wind played gently about the courtyard. But, best of all, perhaps, was the lovely, stone-lined pool glittering so invitingly.

Glancing about and finding no windows looking into the walled garden, Katara quickly shut the door and shed her outer clothes. With one last glance at the clear stillness of the pool, Katara dove in, reveling in this rare chance to play.

When she surfaced, Katara stood straight in the waist-high water and lifted her arms in a well-known pose. Water rose on command, creating thin, air-borne rivers. Shifting subtly, Katara began to move the rivulets, sending them twirling and twining about her. Smiling, she broke the ribbons into pieces and sent tiny droplets to rain down over the trees.

Katara straightened then, and stood for a moment, eyes drawn to her own reflection. And then, with a sigh, she left the pool and bended the excess water from her underclothes. Practicing calmed her, allowed her mind to clear. But she felt just as lonely without someone to practice with her.

Aang meant so much to her. And yet she could not give him an answer. Something--some small part of her--protested. But why?

Quietly, Katara padded back to her room, energy spent. Perhaps all she needed was something to do. Here, in this palace, it seemed all she could do was sit around. Katara acutely missed traveling around the world with her friends. And, though her life after the war was always active, Katara yearned for those simple days just before Sozin's Comet, when she and her friends spent their days bending and planning. Katara had not felt alone then.

* * *

**so you reached the end of the chapter? yay! all right, well, i hope this chapter was satisfactory. please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**sorry, this chapter came a bit late in the day. but, unfortunately, the dentist called. and, as much as i hate answering, he must be seen. so, this chapter is a bit short, too. hopefully the next chapters will be longer. I want to thank everyone for their reviews. We'll get through this time of zutara crisis together. well, enjoy.**

**disclaimer: i do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender. if i did, there would have been NO maiko or kataang. not even one little bit! **

* * *

**Chapter Five**

"We have reports of frequent bandit attacks on several small towns a few days' ride outside of the capital. The local magistrates have attempted to stop them, but with little luck."

Zuko frowned at the report, his mind working furiously. And you say the locals have searched the surrounding caves?" he asked.

The messenger nodded. "They have found little trace of them; some people are beginning to suspect the bandits to be soldiers."

The Fire Lord scowled. When he wasn't trying to help the other nations with the mess his father left behind, he was trying to keep his own people from imploding. Since the end of the war, many problems rose up. Too many soldiers who had enjoyed too much power returned to the Fire Nation, still acting as if they ruled the world. Zuko sighed. How many isolated rebellions and abusive soldiers had he already taken care of?

Glancing at Katara and Toph, Zuko had a sudden idea. He had been working too hard and he knew the girls had been feeling…out of sorts in the palace. Maybe if they got out and traveled a bit, they would feel more at ease.

"All right," he said suddenly. "I think the Ambassadors should see the rest of the Fire Nation while they're here. And, if we happen to drop in on some bandits, then it won't cause too much trouble, will it?"

Katara looked sharply at Zuko and then subsided. She _had_ wanted to get out of the palace. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Toph perking up. Toph, too, seemed cooped up.

The messenger looked thoughtful for a moment and then nodded. "Perhaps if these 'bandits' hear that the Fire Lord and two other powerful benders are nearby, they might just stop their antics."

"'Antics?'" Zuko echoed. He stood. "I don't consider stealing from the poor as just 'antics.'"

Realizing his mistake, the courier bowed deeply. "My apologies, Fire Lord Zuko."

"You can tell your magistrate that I'll be there soon," he growled.

With another low bow, the messenger turned and left the room.

"You didn't have to be so harsh, Zuko," Katara snapped, whirling to face him. "He seems just as concerned about it as you!"

Still angry at the thought of some of his soldiers terrorizing innocent people, Zuko snapped back. "What do you care?" he demanded. "It's not like they're of any concern to you."

Katara's eyes flew wide at the Fire Lord's harsh words. And then those blue orbs began to glimmer angrily. She poked a finger at his chest. "Listen here, Mr. High-And-Mighty, I care about those people just as much as everyone else. I think it's wrong when soldiers stop protecting people and start hurting them. And I don't care if you believe me or not!"

Toph grinned at the fight brewing and settled into her chair, waiting for some explosions. Everyone else in the chamber, however, stared in disbelief as their Fire Lord bickered with the Water Tribe Ambassador. While they had seen Zuko lose his temper, they had never seen him argue so openly with anyone.

Zuko moved closer to Katara and took hold of her hand. "Don't poke me! This is serious! And don't just go telling me what to do in front everyone! Can't you just be a good woman and stay silent?"

"Now he's done it," Toph muttered in delight.

And, predictably, Katara took in a gasping breath of indignation. "A 'good woman,' huh? And just what is that supposed to mean? You are so _arrogant_, you stupid, pig-headed…" she paused, searching for a word.

"What?" Zuko demanded. "Noble? Look at you! You're just the same!"

Katara pushed him. "What's that supposed to mean? At least I'm not some egotistical hot-head!"

"No," Zuko bit back, "you're just a self-righteous shrew! You can't just admit that sometimes I'm right."

"What are you talking about?" Katara shouted. "You're _never_ right!"

An old servant walked over to Toph and gently prodded the younger woman's shoulder. "Should I stop them?" she asked.

Toph laughed. "Nah. They're not even making sense anymore; they'll calm down soon once one of them realizes where they are."

"Gah!" the Fire Lord exclaimed, falling back into his seat. "What do you _want_ from me?"

"What do I want?" the waterbender exclaimed. "I want you to admit that those people need help!"

Shaking his head in frustration, Zuko looked up at her. "I already did!"

Katara stopped suddenly and blinked. "Oh." She glanced down at Zuko, not wanting to look into his golden eyes. She knew they would be full of triumph and arrogance. They would glow like a fire and she wouldn't be able to win. Squaring her shoulders, she raised her own gaze. "You didn't win, you know," she said huffily.

Zuko stared at her a moment, feeling like laughing. She looked pretty, her skin flushed and her blue eyes full of anger. But he refrained, knowing she would probably start bending soon. "I know," he whispered, smiling.

At his husky voice, Katara gave a little gasp before hastily stepping away. And then she remembered where they were. Blushing furiously, she turned to the wide-eyed crowd. "Ah, sorry," she said, taking her seat.

For a moment, no one said anything. And then Toph bounded from her chair. "That was great!" she burst out.

Katara and Zuko just groaned.

* * *

Things seemed quiet at dinner that evening. The Fire Lord had dispensed with other guests for the night and invited the two Ambassadors instead. Though he would not admit as such to anyone, Zuko sometimes felt more comfortable with Katara and Toph than his own people. Maybe because they never treated him like a banished prince. An enemy, maybe, but they had never disliked him for a seeming lack of honor. They only hated him for trying to hunt them down.

But, even with all his mistakes, they forgave him. And, though winning Katara over for a second time had been hard, Zuko considered the battle worth it. He knew the waterbender was just as fierce a friend as she was an enemy.

Hoping to get rid of some of the silence, Katara set down her fork and turned her attention to Zuko. "Is it really okay to just leave the palace for a few weeks?"

A frown settled on the Fire Lord's face and he looked back at her. "It doesn't really matter," he admitted. "Things are run mostly without me now. After what happened with my father, a lot of people were reluctant to give anyone absolute power again."

"Kinda like the Earth Kingdom," Toph interjected cheerily. "The Earth King is still roaming around but things manage to get done anyway."

Katara nodded. If their trip did not cause any problems to Zuko, then everything was all right. She just worried sometimes that, with the unrest in the Fire Nation, things might crumble if left unattended.

"Well, if it's okay, then I guess I don't have any issues," the ambassador said. "I'm just a little worried. Even with the war over and everything, there seems to be just as many problems." She sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if the world is ever actually going to be peaceful."

No one said anything for a while after that. But then Toph grinned. "So when are we leaving? Do we get to sneak out?"

Startlingly, Zuko laughed. "No. We still have to go with an escort for part of the way."

"Why only part of the way?" Katara asked.

The Fire Lord smiled. "I've convinced them that we're powerful enough to not need it."

Katara glanced suspiciously at him. "And just how did you convince them?"

Zuko flashed her a smile. "I'm the Fire Lord, remember?"

"Yeah!" Toph chimed. "He can just burn them to a crisp."

"Toph, that wasn't funny. I'm sure he just asked them not to come."

Sheepish, Zuko looked away. "Actually, I sort of threatened to have Toph bury them alive."

As Toph snickered, Katara glared at the firebender. "Oh, real mature, Zuko. Glad to see you're taking your position seriously."

"Hey, I'm not the one to run off to another country."

"I was sent here!"

"You still could have stayed home."

"I cannot _believe_ you."

Toph started giggling. "You two sound like an old married couple."

Zuko and Katara glanced away, their faces turning red. "So," Zuko said, clearing his throat. "We leave tomorrow."

Katara said nothing, merely stared at her plate, embarrassed to have been fighting with Zuko again. She felt so at ease with Zuko but he got on her nerves _so_ much. Hopefully, the trip would relieve some of the tension between them.

* * *

**i want to apologize again for the short chapter. but, i hoped it was to your liking. please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**all right. new chapter, new chapter. a little longer this time, too! I love all the reviews i've been getting; they make this all worthwhile (that, and the zutaraness. it's taken a few days, but i've finally calmed down...). so, read on, good readers! **

**disclaimer: no owning of Avatar for me. :(**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

Aang thought of going back so many times, wanting to rush back to see if Katara had made her decision. But he stopped himself each time. He had promised her space. And he did not want to lose her by rushing her decision. So he flew around with Appa, visiting various towns and villages in the hopes of distracting himself from thoughts of Katara.

As he traveled, he thought of Toph and how much she had changed. Her personality was the same, but she seemed to have gotten prettier in the year since he last saw her. There was something more to her now than just her tomboyish attitude. Aang smiled. He had never really realized how much he missed Toph's humor. Just as much as he missed Sokka's antics.

Sometimes, he just wished their group could get back together and travel like they did before Sozin's comet. But everyone had changed in the past two years. Things were different.

* * *

Katara gave a small yawn, trying not to let anyone notice. But her efforts proved in vain when a pair of golden eyes slid towards her. Zuko said nothing, but Katara imagined she could almost feel his disapproval. So she turned her attention to the road, avoiding his gaze.

Zuko watched Katara a moment, feeling a bit guilty. He had decided to leave as early as possible and made everyone wake up earlier than planned. The Fire Lord was eager to travel and get away from the palace but he could have waited a few hours.

Still, despite having been woken up early, Katara still looked as pretty as ever. She had not taken the time to fix her hair and it tumbled in riotous waves down her back. Even her eyes, half-closed in weariness, glimmered charmingly.

Shaking his head to clear it of those thoughts, Zuko forced himself to look away. "The ostrich-horse isn't too much trouble is it?" he asked awkwardly.

Startled, Katara fixed her gaze on the firebender. "She's fine," she replied.

"This is great, isn't it?" Toph suddenly asked from the cart behind them. "Everything's so beautiful!"

"Yeah," Zuko agreed. And then he turned back to glare at Toph. "That's not funny."

Toph laughed, happy. No matter how many times she got her friends with little things like that, it never got tired. She _liked_ the fact that they forgot she was blind. Because, in reality, she was _not_. She saw just fine. On the ground. At that moment, however, she could not "see" a thing.

The Fire Lord shook his head. "She's always doing that."

With a small smile, Katara said, "It's better than going up against her during one of her 'practice' sessions. She's quick."

"I can still beat you, Sugar Queen," Toph said triumphantly. "Maybe you should work on that."

With the awkward morning silence broken, Katara relaxed and began to enjoy the trip. She missed Aang but she still felt unsure about his proposal. Katara knew she should have just accepted it. But if she still had doubts, it wouldn't be fair to Aang. She loved him, really, but sometimes she wondered.

Once, she thought of him as a little brother, and her affection for him just kept growing. After defeating the Fire Nation, it seemed natural to accept Aang's affections, even if she still felt unsure. Though he was of a different people, those people were gone. He was the Avatar, yes, but he did not have an entire Nation to care for.

Katara sighed. And, besides Aang, who else was there? Haru? They were just friends now, like she and Aang used to be. But she and Aang grew closer, especially in the confusion and excitement after the downfall of Ozai. Still, sometimes Katara wondered if she had only reciprocated Aang's feelings _because_ of that confusion.

The problem was, deep down, she did not know her own emotions. And that held her back. She did not want to hurt Aang. But, if she left still doubting, both would hurt and wonder what might have happened had she stayed. And if she stayed while being so uncertain, it might hurt Aang even more. So what was her solution?

Trying to put Aang from her mind for the moment, Katara glanced at Zuko. He, too, seemed lost in thought. And, as she watched him, Katara noticed how…_grown up_ he appeared. He seemed more like a Fire Lord than ever. Though he had left his hair down from his topknot for the trip. A small smile played over her lips. He really looked better with out it.

* * *

After traveling most of the day with the entourage, Zuko had enough. Every five minutes, it seemed another person rode up to him to ask some random question. Just as they were making camp, the Fire Lord announced he was leaving. And if anyone followed him, they would regret it.

So, of course, when he stomped off by himself, Katara and Toph followed him. They had fought against him so many times, they knew his style backwards and forwards. Besides, he did not seem to mind their company so much.

"You shouldn't have left everyone like that," Katara called ahead of her. "You're the Fire Lord, you know." Her eyes followed Toph as the earth bender wandered off.

"I know!" Zuko growled back, stomping away from the main camp. "But I've been surrounded by these people for so long, I just need to be by myself for a little while."

Katara sighed. "Fine. I guess I'll just go back to camp, then."

"No!" Zuko said before he could stop himself. And then he froze. He had no right to just demand she stay with him. They were friends, but she and Aang… The firebender shook his head. He wanted quiet, but he did not want to be completely by himself. He just wanted someone to talk to.

At his outburst, Katara stared at Zuko for a moment and then nodded. "Okay. I'll come with you. But you really should have been nicer."

Zuko just turned around again, trying not to smile. Since Katara came to the Fire Nation, he had wanted a chance to renew their friendship. Despite all the trouble she had given him when he first joined "Team Avatar," he really respected the waterbender.

"I just wanted to get away for a while," he admitted softly. "It's hard to be surrounded by so many people and not have anyone understand you."

Katara paused. "At least you had Mai."

"Yeah," Zuko murmured. But had he really? Since she left, he wondered just what kind of relationship they had. Yes, Mai made him happy. But she always did what he asked. She never fought with him or told him off. It was almost like she didn't care.

Zuko pushed those thoughts away. Mai loved him. That was why she never contested him. Besides, who would want some bossy girl yelling at him all the time? Even if she _was_ beautiful? Even if he _did_ enjoy arguing with her?

Catching up to him, Katara walked by Zuko's side, her eyes occasionally sliding towards him. With Aang, she normally would be talking and laughing the whole way to wherever they were going. But with Zuko, she simply walked in companionable silence. But always, _always_, there was that undercurrent of something else. It confused her. It had since Ba Sing Se.

After a while, Zuko stopped. "This seems like a nice place," he said, before beginning to set up camp.

"It does," Katara agreed. She looked around at the landscape, noticing the nice, soft ground and the nearby creek. Various flowers grew around the small clearing, and several trees lined the spot. It was really quite beautiful, reminding Katara of some of the places she had stayed at with Aang and the gang.

Suddenly, she straightened. "Where's Toph?"

Zuko whirled around, eyes searching. "I thought she was with you."

"She was," Katara answered, frowning. "But then she wandered off… Toph!"

"Toph!"

A small movement caught their attention and both relaxed as Toph came waltzing into the clearing.

"Relax," she told them. "I was just checking the place out." The earthbender grinned. "There's a good place to practice some bending just a couple minutes away."

Katara glanced at the lowering sun, knowing twilight was just a little bit away. She smiled at Zuko. "It could be fun."

He stared at her for a minute and then gave a small shrug, trying not to look too interesting. "I guess."

Laughing, Katara took hold of his hand and began dragging him in the direction Toph indicated. "Come on. You know you probably haven't had a descent practice in a while."

At her touch, Zuko felt a curious shiver, but he brushed it off as the wind. Instead, he simply watched Katara's happy face as she led him to the practice area. He hated to admit it, but he sometimes _missed_ bending with Katara. As a great waterbender, she presented a wonderful challenge to him.

--

When they reached the other area, Katara finally let go of Zuko, trying not to pay attention to how warm she felt. It was just some weird reaction to his being a fire bender. Instead, she glanced around, noting the pools of water and large, rocky area. She grinned in anticipation. They would have a good battle.

She glanced up, noticing the faint sight of a full moon. Even thought the sun was still out, Yue had already made her appearance. It would be an interesting fight.

Zuko, too, noticed the full moon just beginning to rise above the horizon, though the sun had an hour or more in the sky. He felt a twinge of expectation, knowing Katara would not hold back on him. And she would be at the top of her game.

"All right," he said, shrugging out of his shirt. "Should we get this started?"

Katara answered immediately with a whip of water. Zuko smirked and sent a jet of fire towards it, effectively filling the air with steam. "Good one," he said.

"Thank you," Katara replied. She looked down at her traveling clothes, knowing already they would be too hot. Holding up a hand, she shed her outer clothes and faced Zuko in her lighter undershirt and skirt. "Now comes the _real_ fight."

Zuko looked Katara over, smirk still annoyingly in place. "It's been too long."

* * *

**oooh! next chapter is an action-packed, bending chapter. and if anyone's been wondering if i'm going to do anything with the painted lady and the blue spirit, just wait. i have plans...**

**well, if you liked the chapter (or just found something that bugged you), please review! those reviews never get old...**


	7. Chapter 7

**okay. here's the bending chapter. hopefully it will be to your liking. well, i want to start, first off by remembering some of the finer moments of the finale. like when zuko got back together with uncle iroh...i cried a little. it was so awesome! and iroh and his pai sho friends kicked a! it was great. well, i'll get on with it...**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

Zuko threw fire towards Katara, moving to avoid her water whips. Continuously, he sidestepped her attacks, circling her in an attempt to find a weak spot. All the while, he watched as her body moved sinuously, directing ribbons of glittering water. He smiled, recognizing her skill at both defense and offense. But, in defending herself from his increasing attacks, she countered less and less, concentrating on keeping the fire from touching her.

And then her movements shifted. Katara flashed Zuko a confident smile and, still directing her whips with one hand, drew another skein of liquid from a nearby pool. Deftly, she broke it apart, creating a beaded curtain between herself and Zuko's attacks. The droplets hung in the air at her direction, effectively freeing her whips to hurtle towards the Fire Lord.

Cursing, Zuko watched as his fire hit her water droplets. Steam rose, breaking the beads apart into smaller and smaller dewdrops. But, for all appearances, Katara lost very little water. And now _he_ was defending himself more and more. He quickly drew on the fading afternoon heat, making his flames hotter. But, with the rise in temperature, he gave Katara another opening.

Seeing the glimmer of sweat on Zuko's skin, Katara laughed softly. With a twist of her hand and a small breath, she froze the moisture on his skin, rapidly cooling his body. She observed in triumph as Zuko's movements slowed. His expression darkened for a moment and then he fell to his knees, his body showing signs of strain.

Alarmed, Katara dropped her water and rushed over to Zuko. She knelt down beside him and, with a look of concern, ran her hands over him, trying to warm him back up. As his eyes closed, Katara cursed and leaned closer. "You are NOT going to fall asleep," she muttered desperately.

And then suddenly, Zuko's eyes flew open. With a quick movement, he grabbed hold of Katara's arms and rolled her over, pinning her down. He smiled. "I win," he whispered, enjoying how her blue eyes darkened in anger.

Katara struggled. "That's not fair!" she announced. "You tricked me."

He leaned closer. "It's what would happen in a real fight."

Breathing heavily, Katara looked up at Zuko, anger dissipating as she realized just what position they were in. She suddenly took notice of how warm he was… and how close. "Zuko," she began softly, bringing her hands up to push him off.

Zuko noticed the change in her and frowned, shifting even closer. And he could not help but realize how pretty she looked, flushed from their fight. He felt drawn to her, and, at that moment, he wanted to stay like that forever. "Katara…"

"Woah!" came a loud voice, interrupting the strange pull between the two benders. "Look at this!"

Zuko hastily stood at Toph's appearance, helping Katara up as he did so. For a minute, their eyes caught and then they glanced away, each desperately trying to look at something else. Both felt embarrassed. But there was something between them, something that had risen to the surface. And, after that little scene, neither could bury it so easily.

"What were you two doing?" Toph asked.

"Um…"Katara kicked at the dirt. "We were practicing and…"

"I fell," Zuko interjected.

Toph was quiet a moment, obviously trying to figure out if they were lying. But, then she shrugged, seeming to accept the terse explanation. "Whatever. I'll just leave you two lovebirds alone."

The earthbender turned to go back towards camp and Zuko and Katara both ran after her, each trying to explain more fully. But she simply shook her head. "Nope. You can't tell me any differently," she teased. "You two seemed pretty cozied up to me."

"Toph, it wasn't anything," Katara started. And then she stopped, knowing, somehow that she was not telling the truth. Something passed between her and Zuko. And it just left her more confused.

When they reached the camp, Katara hastily began setting up dinner, wanting to take her mind off of that confusing interlude. But, on the other side of the clearing, Zuko sat brooding, eyes occasionally following the waterbender's lithe movements.

Zuko recognized what happened, though he wanted to deny it. After all, it was _Katara_. Not only was she a waterbender, but she was the Avatar's _girlfriend_. Even though she had yet to accept Aang's proposal. He shook his head, not wanting to believe the attraction he had definitely felt. It proved too complicated. Especially now.

So he stopped thinking about it and merely watched as Katara busied herself with cooking. If he let his reservations go, Zuko could admit the Water Tribe girl looked pretty. Lovely, even. Though Mai often moved with a grace that came naturally with her weaponry skills, Katara moved quite differently. More beautifully. She flowed like her element, her every action streaming into the next with ease. It gave her a graceful, alluring quality that other young women lacked.

Now, however, her movements betrayed her agitation, seeming more like the rush of a rapids. Her actions when angered or troubled reminded him of her bending style: stunning but powerful. And her eyes flashed with a certain light…

Zuko shook his head and turned away. Instead, he turned his mind to meditation, to clear his thoughts. Thinking such things did no good. Especially since Katara would never be his. After all, how could anyone compare with the Avatar?

--

Even as Zuko tried to stop thinking of Katara, _her_ thoughts would not stop turning towards the earlier events. She wondered just what she felt with Zuko. And she could not help but compare those feelings to her feelings for Aang. With Aang, Katara felt comfortable, safe. He was a breath of fresh air. But with Zuko, she felt too aware, too tense. He brought too much warmth. And it just did not make sense.

--

Toph sat in her earth tent, pondering just what seemed to be going on with Katara and Zuko. She knew there was something; everyone knew. She had not been the only one surprised when Katara chose Aang. But Toph had never been sure exactly _what_ Zuko and Katara felt for each other. It was not so much that they liked each other as much as they seemed drawn to one another. And that confused her.

But what Toph hoped, guiltily, was that Katara would choose Zuko. So that Aang could finally get over the waterbender and find someone else. Because, as much as Toph liked Katara, she did not like seeing her with Aang.

--

Dinner passed in silence, the strain around the camp palpable. No one talked, not even Toph. Everyone seemed too lost in thought. So their first night of would-be camaraderie passed without a word. Hopefully the morning would bring a better atmosphere.

* * *

It rained. Oh, they did not get wet, but everything was dreary. And things between Katara and Zuko still seemed uncomfortable. Toph, though, got over her mood, and decided to lighten things up.

Without warning, the blind girl sent a large piece of mud flying at Katara. And, as expected, it hit her right in the face. Both Katara and Zuko stood frozen for a moment. Then the Fire Lord just _had_ to laugh. Snapping, Katara pin wheeled her arms and sent the waterlogged earth flying everywhere. Zuko stopped laughing.

"Hey!" he complained. "I didn't even hit you!"

"No," Katara said, getting into the spirit of the oncoming war, "you just laughed." And then she tossed mud right at his chest.

With a triumphant whoop, Toph launched herself into the burgeoning fight, making sure no one could escape her attacks.

Zuko, after shaking his head in defeat, bent down and scooped up some mud. He was at a disadvantage with the girls, but that did not mean he would not try to take them down anyway. Knowing Toph to be his best ally, he avoided hitting her and directed his ammunition right at Katara.

And the battle began. Shrieks and laughter filled the air as the benders ran about, dodging and launching mudballs. Within minutes, they were soaked and caked with earth. But no one cared. And no one was happier than Zuko. He had never really participated in any sort of play like the mud war, but it proved fun. And he knew that, without his friends, he might never been given the chance to let loose.

Half an hour later, the three travelers stood, breathing heavy and covered with mud. The rain had stopped, leaving the world dappled with sunlit puddles. Katara smiled wryly. "We'll have to change," she said, heart still racing from their fun. "I can wash the clothes out; you'll never know they were this dirty."

Toph and Zuko agreed and the three ran off to find a private place to put on new clothes. When everyone returned, fresh, if not entirely clean, Katara gathered the muddy garments and headed off to a nearby creek. Curious, Zuko followed.

He watched as Katara soaked the clothes, using her bending to grab hold of all the clinging dirt. Carefully, she scrubbed them, silent throughout. The process fascinated the Fire Lord. Waterbending proved useful for so many things: battle, healing, washing. Firebending, on the other hand, seemed purely destructive.

As if she could hear his train of thought, Katara began to talk as she bended the water and mud from the garments. "Waterbending is really useful," she told him, "but firebending is, too." She held up the clothes and smiled. "I can dry these by taking out the water, but you can do the same thing _and_ warm them up."

Knowing when to take a hint, Zuko took hold of the clothes and upped his body heat so that the clothes would warm.

"After the rain, we wouldn't want them to get too cold," Katara explained. A sigh escaped her. "The fight was fun, but we need to get moving if we're going to make it to the first village on time."

"Yeah," Zuko said softly, eyes following Katara as she turned and walked away. When, he wondered, had he first wanted to kiss her? Shaking his head at the silly thought, he followed her back to where Toph waited. Katara was his friend and it would be better if things stayed that way. Wouldn't it?

* * *

**sorry if the bending sequence wasn't as long as you might have liked; i just couldn't resist havin zuko's little trick in there...ha...and the resulting interlude...believe me; there will be more bending going on in the future. you might want to think about the fact that all my zutara fanfics include a little bending dance...there. something to look forward to chapters from now...and, with that thought: please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**i haven't updated in two days...i'm so sorry. i took a little break...can you forgive me? well, just in case you _did_ forgive me, I've made this chapter longer than the others and put a little scene in it, just for all of you! so, here it is, chapter eight!**

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

The village stood at the edge of a large lake, a mountain rising just behind. Zuko explained that the village prospered as a spa town of sorts, its hot springs and lakeside location ideal. And, not being heavily guarded, it presented the perfect target to bandits.

"It's beautiful," Katara breathed when she first caught sight of it. Though the village was small, everything--down to its cobbled streets and cultured gardens--was lovely. It made Katara wonder why anyone would want to ruin such peace.

They booked rooms quickly and with little difficulty. Apparently, Zuko just could not be anonymous no matter how hard he tried. But, tired of fancy rooms and wanting the easy camaraderie of the campsite, Katara decided not to accept the room. Instead, she and Toph set up camp just outside the village and waited patiently for Zuko to come to his senses.

"You don't want the rooms?" he demanded, stomping into their camp a half hour later. Katara was busy cooking some sort of soup and Toph was simply lounging about, as if waiting for some sort of fun to hit her in the head.

Katara and Toph both shook their heads, trying not to laugh at the anger in Zuko's voice.

"So I just paid all that money for nothing?"

"They refunded you, I'm sure," Katara said dryly, turning her attention to her soup.

"That's not the point!" Zuko yelled. "The point is, we could be sitting in comfort, enjoying a nice hot meal instead of sitting out here."

"Katara's making food," Toph pointed out. "Besides, it's nice out here."

"Maybe for you, but I like to be comfortable."

Katara laughed. "So what you're saying is that you can't handle the outdoors."

"What? No!" Zuko moved closer to Katara and glared down at her. "That's not what I'm saying at all."

Giving the soup one last stir, Katara stood. "Well, it's not like _you_ have to stay out here," she said. "You can go back anytime you want."

Zuko stared at Katara, fuming. What did she mean? He could not go back now, not when she practically called him soft. Handle the outdoors. Ha. He would show her. Flopping down onto a nearby log, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked out across the lake. "I suppose I'll have to stay out here to protect you from the bandits.

"I don't know about you," Toph voiced derisively, "but I _am_ a bandit."

The Fire Lord was quiet, but his mind flashed guiltily to a time when he had been just as bad. His eyes traveled to his bag. A few months before, he had found a certain mask at the annual Fire Festival. He did not know the reason why he bought the mask--or even why he brought it--but at that moment, he entertained a dangerous notion. What if he could take care of all the village's trouble without involving anyone else?

Little did he know, as Zuko sat brooding over his half-formed plan, Katara found herself in a similar situation. As she stared at the glittering expanse of lake before her, the waterbender could not help but remember when she had helped a similar waterside village. A small smile tugged at her lips when she thought about just how she "helped." Painted and dressed, she saved them from a horrid group of power-hungry soldiers. Could she do the same with these villagers?

"Katara, you're pot's boiling over!" Toph called.

Pulled out of her reverie, Katara rushed over to the fire, only to find her soup fine. "Toph!"

"What?" the earthbender asked innocently. "I'm hungry."

At that moment, Zuko turned his attention to Katara. "I am too," he admitted.

Turning her nose up at him, Katara sniffed. "Well, why don't you just go to your fancy inn and eat there?" she demanded. "I'm sure they'll make you a feast."

For once swallowing his pride, the firebender said, "Sorry. I guess I _have_ gotten a little soft." He sent Katara a brilliant smile. "But, I want to spend a bit more time with you girls." Not to mention, he would be more able to sneak out of the camp than the inn.

* * *

The camp had only one occupant by midnight. The other two people cleverly stuffed their bedrolls with something to make it appear as if they slept. They snuck away as quietly as possible. And they did not know another had left. In fact, the only one who knew was the one left behind.

--

Katara walked along the edge of the lake, wishing she had thought to bring Toph along. She searched the surrounding woods carefully, wanting to ferret out _someone_ after having spent a good portion of her time becoming the Painted Lady. But, when she found nothing, the waterbender began forming a new plan. If she could not find the bandits, then she would simply wait for them.

So Katara waited in a small cave at the waterfront, her eyes ever on the village nearby. She felt confident she could take care of the bandits. But she did not stop to think about who else might be waiting to protect the village.

--

Zuko lay down on one of the village rooftops, looking out for the bandits. Minutes before, he thought he saw movement down by the lake, but, when nothing was forthcoming, decided it was nothing. Instead, he focused on the road into town, anticipating a confrontation with the enemy.

He tugged gently on his Blue Spirit mask, making it was secure. The Fire Lord did not want his identity revealed if someone hit him too hard. Sure it would stay, Zuko lay unmoving once more, gaze still fixed on the road.

Finally, after an hour of waiting, he heard people approaching. From the sound, he suspected they wore armor, which pointed to one thing: soldiers. He frowned and watched as five soldiers entered the village, two wearing the armor of firebenders. No wonder the villagers feared the bandits so much.

Soundlessly, Zuko dropped to the ground and slunk through the alleys, following the progress of the rogue soldiers. Oddly, a thick mist began to appear, further helping Zuko as he stalked his enemy.

When the soldiers stopped in the middle of the village, Zuko waited, wanting them to make the first move. But then one of the bandits. The Fire Lord watched in disbelief as one of the men fell and seemed to be dragged away. By what, Zuko could not see. Still, with the others nicely distracted, he launched himself at the closest soldier, swords drawn.

--

Katara was distinctly aware of someone else in the mist, fighting the bandits with her. But it did not matter. Giving a small twist of her hand, she commanded the surrounding moisture to enclose her second victim. Another movement had the man walking slowly away, his body jerking as if he could not quite control himself. Two down.

She heard the distinct sound of a sword hitting flesh and knew another soldier had fallen. Three. A smile touched her lips and she went after another bandit as a fourth was taken down by the mysterious swordsman. But, even as she reached out with her bloodbending, a man dressed entirely in black attacked her enemy. The newcomer wore a mask and, from where Katara stood, she recognized it as that of the fugitive Blue Spirit.

The last soldier went down and Katara, fueled by anger, used the moisture at her feet to float towards the Blue Spirit. Smiling faintly, she used the mist to tug at her clothes, giving her a more ghostly appearance.

"Who are you that comes to my village?" she demanded, playing up her part as a spirit.

The Blue Spirit turned at the sound of the voice but stopped when he came face to face with what looked like the phantom figure of a woman. She wore long, tattered robes that fluttered eerily in the windless night. Paint covered her face, making her appear all the more ethereal. But the face was one the Blue Spirit recognized. The Painted Lady, the heroine of a story told to him by some fishermen in an eastern village.

Boldly, the masked thief stepped forward. "This is not _your_ village, is it?" he asked, casting his voice low.

The Painted Lady lifted her chin, hearing something familiar in his voice. "I help all those in need," she replied haughtily. "And, though you aided me, Blue Spirit, I want to know why." The woman shook her head. "You're a thief."

Behind his smiling mask, Zuko frowned. For a minute, the Painted Lady sounded like Katara. Then he shook his head, almost laughing at the outrageous thought. Still, there was something about the woman before him that drew him closer. He knew she could not possibly be a spirit, not when the Painted Lady had not even been sighted in her home village in a few years. _Two_ years, to be precise… Again, Zuko discarded the ideas flying through his mind.

"I may be a thief, but I have morals," The Blue Spirit retorted, feeling a bit insulted. "These people don't deserve to be terrorized by a bunch of criminals."

The Painted Lady took a step forward, her mouth curving into a frown. "Oh, and your other victims _do_?" she asked.

"I haven't stolen from anyone in a while!"

"No," the woman replied scathingly. "You've gotten morals."

"What about you?" The Blue Spirit demanded. "You've dressed up like the beloved symbol of a village far away. How is that any better?"

Whirling away, the Painted Lady scowled. "You wouldn't understand."

The Blue Spirit took hold of her arm and turned her back towards him. Unconsciously, his body moved close until they almost touched. "Try me," he growled, looking into her eyes. And then he stiffened. Blue eyes. What native of the Fire Nation had blue eyes?

She peered into the eyes of the mask, trying to discern exactly what his motives are. "Who are you?" she asked even as he voiced the same question.

He brought a hand up to her cheek, his golden eyes disbelieving. "Katara?"

At that single, whispered word, Katara finally recognized the voice. "Zuko?"

Slowly, Zuko took off his mask. When it lowered, his expression looked dark. "What are you doing?" he hissed. "You should be asleep."

Katara let out a derisive laugh. "So should you." She shook her head, incredulous. "_You're_ the Blue Spirit?"

"_You're_ the Painted Lady?" Zuko countered. And then he finally realized how close he was to her. But, at that moment, in the nightly mist, he did not really care… or feel inclined to move. Katara looked so lovely, all painted up, her blue eyes glowing in the moonlight.

She, too, noticed how close they were and tried to step back but Zuko merely tightened his hold on her arm. "Zuko, what…?" Katara trailed off as he dropped his mask and placed a finger on her lips.

"Just, don't say anything," he whispered.

"How dare--" Suddenly, Zuko removed his finger and replaced it with a kiss. After a moment, he leaned back, smiling at the shocked look on her face. "I needed you to listen," the firebender explained.

Still stunned, Katara merely nodded.

Zuko smirked. "I'm guessing we both came here thinking the same thing," he began. "We just wanted to get rid of these bandits. But, even though we beat them, we still have to find their hideout, to see what they've done with all the stuff they stole. So we should get Toph to help us with that first thing in the morning, all right?"

Katara nodded again and opened her mouth to say something, but Zuko pressed his finger against her lips again.

"We should get back," he said, before abruptly letting her go and turning away. He did not even pause to see if she followed as he walked out of the village.

Staring after them, Katara brought a hand to her lips, a puzzled expression appearing on her face. "What got into _him_?" she asked the mist. But no one answered.

* * *

**sooooo... what did you think? you like? well, again, sorry for not updating sooner.**

**please review. **


	9. Chapter 9

**okay...i know, i know...it's been a while. sorry. i was busy all this week and only managed to write this chapter a little bit at a time. even then, it didn't come as smoothly as i would have liked. still, i hope the chapter is good. **

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

Zuko groaned, hoping the night before was a dream. Because he did _not_ kiss Katara. He did not kiss the Avatar's girlfriend. Because Katara had not walked around the village painted up like a beautiful ghost in order to beat a couple of bandits. But he had. And he knew something changed. He just did not know what yet.

Taking a deep breath in order to steady himself, Zuko came out of his tent. As he walked over to the campfire where Katara sat making breakfast, Zuko fortified himself against the anger he knew the waterbender would show. It was inevitable. But, when he sat down across the fire from her, Katara said nothing, merely kept her head down and her eyes averted.

"Listen, Katara--" he broke off as Katara threw something at him. In an amazing show of reflexes, he caught the Blue Spirit mask before it hit him in the face.

"You left that," Katara said quietly, still trying to avoid Zuko's eyes. "I didn't think you wanted to lose it."

Zuko stared at the mask for a moment and then looked up, his mouth opening to speak. But Katara was already gone. It seemed she did not want to talk, then. The Fire Lord shook his head. It might be better that way.

Even as he thought that, Zuko found himself running after Katara. They at least needed to get things straight. He did not know why he kissed her, but they still needed to talk about it. Katara could not just ignore it.

"Katara, wait!"

At the sound of his voice, Katara whirled, eyes flashing. "What do you want, Zuko?"

He sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry," Zuko said, meaning it. She seemed upset.

"About what?"

"About kissing you. It was…" The firebender trailed off and pushed a hand through his hair. "Sorry."

A deep blush stole over Katara's skin and she looked away, embarrassed. "Well, it wasn't much of a kiss, so you don't need to apologize," she muttered.

"Good," Zuko said without thinking. And then he stepped forward, suddenly indignant. "What do you mean, 'it wasn't much of a kiss?'"

Seeing the affronted look on Zuko's face, Katara's confused thoughts lifted for a moment and a more mischievous side took over. Smirking slightly, she shrugged. "Just that it wasn't really anything to remember."

Zuko moved closer until he was crowding Katara. His first, angry thought was to kiss her again and show her a kiss that would _make_ her remember. But he stopped, managing to push the idea away. He wondered, for a moment, why he was thinking so much about kissing Katara, but he pushed that, too, from his mind. Instead, he focused on the waterbender before him.

Her eyes were bright and full of anger and confusion. Zuko let out a breath. "I feel so confused," he confessed. "I don't know what to feel."

"Neither do I," Katara whispered.

He smiled at her. "Let's just forget all of this for now," Zuko suggested. "We still have to find the bandits' base."

Katara looked at Zuko for a long moment and then nodded. "Okay." Suddenly, she smiled. "Race you back to camp," she said as she turned and started running back the way they came.

* * *

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Sokka asked, looking down at the map.

Suki sighed heavily. "Yes."

The Water Tribe warrior frowned, turning the map on it side. Then he looked at the flying lemur perched on his shoulder. "What about you Momo?" he asked. "Do you know?"

Momo chattered at Sokka for a moment before launching into the air and flying away. A minute later, he came back with tiny fists full of berries. He dropped them in Sokka's hand, but not before the young man caught sight of the lemur's puffed cheeks.

"Momo! You found food!" Sokka turned eagerly to Suki. "Isn't he the best?"

Suki said nothing, merely rolled her eyes and continued down the road. They had come to the Fire Nation so Sokka could look after his sister, but all they had done was manage to get lost. And it was all Sokka's fault. If only he hadn't eaten that strange plant…

She frowned, looking up at the sky. They were close, she knew it. And there should be a village somewhere. A smile crept across Suki's lips. She had heard that it was a resort of some kind, and she wanted a break.

"Wow, Momo, these are good!"

At Sokka's excited words, Suki turned, eyes going wide. She took one look at the berries in Sokka's hands and gasped. "What are you eating?"

Sokka shrugged. "Just some berries Momo brought me."

Suki slapped his hand. "Those are dangerous!" she exclaimed. "You can't just eat whatever a _lemur_ hands you."

"Hey," Sokka said defensively, "Momo helps out a lot."

"Oh, just like he helped you out with that plant?" Suki asked. "The plant that made you hallucinate for hours and got us _lost_?" She shook her head and continued down the road. Suki really wanted to reach the village before nightfall.

* * *

Toph found the cave easily and led Katara and Zuko to the entrance. "It's pretty big," she said, "and there's a lot of stuff in here."

Katara and Zuko exchanged glances. "Then we should split up," the Fire Lord suggested.

"I agree," Katara said quickly, wanting to get away from Zuko for a little while. "I'll go with you, Toph, since it's so dark."

"Is it?" the earthbender asked offhandedly. "Then you should go with hothead there. _I _can't make fire." She waved a hand in front of her pale eyes. "There's no point."

The waterbender grimaced at Toph's words, but she knew the younger girl was right. Toph was not exactly the best guide when it came to the dark. At least with Zuko, Katara would see the person ahead of her.

"We might as well get this over with," Zuko muttered as Toph left him alone--again--with Katara. For a moment, the firebender had the distinct feeling that the Earth Ambassador was leaving him with Katara on purpose. But, that was ridiculous. He did not see the crafty smile on Toph's face as she left them.

Toph knew something was going on with the Sugar Queen and the Hothead, and she was doing nothing wrong by leaving them alone. If it just so happened the two got together and Aang gained interest in _her_, well, it was just an added benefit to having helped two lovebirds find each other. That's what she told herself, anyway.

She found hardly anything hidden in the tunnels she explored; only a few chests here and there. But Toph tarried for a while, knowing that, left to themselves, Katara and Zuko would, most assuredly, work out a few of their differences. Or kill each other in an awesome bending-battle-of-death. Personally, Toph was up for a good fight. She had missed out the night before, choosing instead to let the "Painted Lady" and "Blue Spirit" handle things. And, feeling restless that morning, the Blind Bandit regretted coming to that decision.

--

Katara quietly followed Zuko, not saying anything as they walked through the dark passages. Their only light rested in Zuko's palm, flickering silently, though there was no wind to stir it. For a moment, Katara's mind went back to another time when she and Zuko had been alone beneath the ground. But, shaking her head, she bid the thoughts away. She did not want to remember Zuko's old betrayal. And she did not want to examine too closely what had passed between them.

After what seemed like an hour or more in complete silence, Zuko finally spoke. "It looks like there's a big chamber up ahead," he said. "Wait here while I check it out."

She sent him one long, silent stare and then, sheepish, Zuko motioned for her to go first. "That's what I thought," Katara muttered. She really did hate all the male chauvinism in her life. That was another thing about Aang she liked. He never put on such an stupid act. Funny, though, that Katara often found that lack of chauvinism a bit annoying. Without it, Aang seemed too conciliatory and a bit weak.

The two stepped into the chamber and Zuko let the fire in his hand strengthen and grow. As light filled the room, the two gasped, staring at the mosaic of blue and red crystals covering the cavern walls.

Turning, Katara looked at Zuko, her eyes brilliant even in the dim light. "It's beautiful," she breathed.

"It is," Zuko agreed. But his eyes weren't on the crystals.

* * *

**it was short, i know. and i left there right before an important moment. and, believe me, there IS an important moment to come, just you watch. ah, and sokka was in this chapter! i'm sure i made him a bit sillier than he normally is, but, it was so fun to write his part. i couldn't help it. well, i hope you liked the chapter. please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**For all those who were reading this story… I AM SO SORRY!!! My brain shut off, I fell off the face of the earth, I spent the past year living as a monk to better understand Aang…**

**…okay, sorry, none of that was true. I got into college and stopped writing. That's the truth. I spent so much time on all my classwork, hanging out with friends, sleeping…that I didn't really work on the story. At all. Please forgive me? I'll make it up to you? Imaginary brownies for everyone?  
Well, at least I've written another chapter. Even I was beginning to think that this story would continue unmoving. But things have a way of inspiring you to sudden points of incredible interest. So here we are, back with Zutara.  
I hope you enjoy this chapter, and if you think that I am too lazy and undeserving of your reviews, I swear, I understand.**

**  
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender. All of its characters, plotlines, and details remain rightfully those of the creators. I do, however, encourage all of you to go off and enjoy Avatar to the fullest extent. It's a wonderful show! And watch out for The Last Airbender movie coming to us summer of 2010! The trailer looked wicked awesome. And for those who don't know where to find the trailer, just check out .com.**

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

Katara felt heat rush to her cheeks at Zuko's low admission. Unconsciously, her lips parted, her breath coming faster.

"Can you believe something like this is down here?" she asked.

Zuko's golden eyes flashed and he stepped closer. "No," he answered softly. "But then, I never expect what I find in caves."

He raised his hand and cupped Katara's cheek. "I was so surprised to see you in the caves beneath Ba Sing Se. I thought I would be stuck in that dank, dark place forever. And then you were there."

The waterbender's breath hitched as Zuko pressed against her. She shook her head, trying to think of anything but him. Desperately, she called up an image of Aang, but the vision was overtaken before it had a chance to take root. All she could think about was a pair of golden eyes.

Katara remembered Ba Sing Se, too. She remembered the thrill that had gone through her right before fear and anger overtook it. She remembered how vulnerable he looked…how he had admitted a secret from his past to help her hurts.

But he had betrayed them there, in those catacombs. He stepped away from her and let hate fill him.

Katara pulled away nervously and turned her attention to the crystals. "Aang would love this," she said deliberately.

Behind her, Zuko flinched. "You won't forgive me, will you?"

Frowning, Katara looked back at the Fire Lord. A small sigh escaped her and she began moving about the chamber. "Zuko, what's done is done. You were confused--I can understand that--but in the end, you chose to side with us. That's all that matters."

Zuko laughed harshly. "Is that what you really think? That I was confused? I hated the Avatar. I hated him for everything that he had." The firebender clenched his hands, turning them into fists. "He was my only route to honor, and I would have done anything to get that back."

Even after all these years, Zuko's anger was still present. It was hard for him to let go of such a raging emotion. It boiled in him, to think that Katara--or anyone else--might think less of him. With his rising anger, the room began to heat, but Zuko barely noticed. He was trying so hard to think past his old wounds.

Katara went to stand in front of him. Gently, she took hold of his fists. "Zuko, all that's over now. You have your honor. The only time you ever lost it was when you betrayed us at Ba Sing Se."

Soothingly, Katara rubbed Zuko's hands, smoothing them out despite the uncomfortable heat. He had tried so hard to move past his mistakes. Though she would never forget the feeling of betrayal he invoked at Ba Sing Se, she had forgiven him when he rose against his family and nation to help Aang.

Zuko shuddered at the feel of Katara's cool hands moving over his warm skin. It felt as if she were pulling all of his pain and rage from him--all with only a simple touch. The problem was, there was nothing simple about his reaction. He wanted to pull Katara close and hold on to her forever. He wanted her there to keep him from his shame and anger.

As if she felt the change in Zuko's thoughts, Katara looked up into his eyes. "Zuko--"

"Well look what we have here, boys. Looks like a couple of rich love birds just flew into our nest."

Zuko and Katara turned simultaneously at the sound of the craggy voice. They found a small band of grubby-looking men, each cradling a weapon.

The two benders glanced at each other and then back at the men.

"Do you know who I am?" Zuko demanded. Though he had not taken up his father's practice of distributing his image all over the Nation, Zuko thought his scar would at least make him recognizable. Who else had such a similar scar?

A big burly man stepped forward. From his sneer and attitude, Zuko assumed he was the leader of the little gang. The man wore a stained and ragged military uniform, the sight of which enraged Zuko. This man should be helping people, not intimidating and terrifying them.

"I don't care who you are. All I know is that you look like you've got quite the treasure on you." The man turned his sights to Katara and licked his lips. "Not to mention the little tart you have with you."

At the man's insult, Katara gave an indignant gasp. "How dare you, you ill-bred, inborn frog monkey!"

Zuko tried not to laugh at Katara's insult. She had gotten pretty creative over the years. Though, living with her brother, he didn't blame her one bit.

The ring leader growled as the other men laughed. "That's not very nice," he said, raising a long, glittering knife. "Not very nice at all."

Suddenly, he launched himself at the pair. Only to find himself knocked back against the cavern wall. The man shook his head to clear it and looked back at the rich couple before him. Katara had dropped into a crouch, water swirling around her.

But it wasn't the girl he feared, but her companion. Zuko stood perfectly still, his golden eyes deadly. In his hand was a brightly glowing flame. Even from where he was, the ruffian could feel the heat of it.

For a moment, the band of men did nothing but stare at their injured leader. And then they began to yell before they, too, attacked Zuko and Katara.

It took little less than a minute for Zuko and Katara to finish off the men, their bodies whirling as they bended.

The two worked with a natural sync that could only be admired. When they had beaten back the bandits, Zuko and Katara straightened, identical grins on their faces.

"Do you think there's more?" Katara asked.

"I hope so," Zuko replied, eyes on his companion. He couldn't help but notice the way her dark skin glowed in the faint light--or how her sapphire eyes sparkled. He watched, fascinated, as her chest rose and fell with her breath. She was really quite exquisite.

Katara frowned as she noticed Zuko's intense expression. Her worry soon passed, however, as she was distracted by a far-off sound.

The two benders looked at each other and then sounded out one word. "Toph."

They rushed from the chamber, hurrying towards the sound of collapsing rock and meager cries.

Katara and Zuko didn't have to travel far. Within minutes, they found Toph wandering out one of the passages covered in dirt. She had a big, unmistakable grin on her face. Zuko and Katara groaned. It looked like the earthbender had all the fun.

"Hey guys," Toph said when she drew closer. "Did you find anything?"

Katara sighed. "Just a few bandits, that's all."

Toph's smile grew larger. "I think I found the mother load," she said enthusiastically. "They won't be terrorizing any villagers for a long while."

Biting her lip, Katara asked, "You didn't hurt anyone did you?"

The earthbender shrugged. "Who knows? I trapped them in the tunnels, but they have another way out. What about those bandits?"

"We left them back there," Zuko answered, pointing.

Toph looked at him blankly. "Oh, well, glad you cleared that up."

Katara cleared her throat and nudged Zuko. He sent her a sheepish look. "Right. I guess we'll put them in with the rest of their group."

"Okay," Toph said cheerily. "I'll be right here."

As Katara and Zuko started back to the crystal chamber, the firebender frowned. "Why do I get the impression that these bandits weren't as bad as everyone says they were?"

"I don't know, but I think we had better keep an eye out," Katara replied. "Who knows what could be lurking about."

As they stepped back into the chamber, the waterbender smiled, feeling relaxed. The chamber was wonderful. Something about it just felt so inviting--despite the fact that it was underground. Maybe it had something to do with how the room seemed to be lit by the blue and red crystals lining the walls. Or maybe it was simply because it was beautiful. Whatever it was, Katara promised herself she'd come back one day.

Zuko's thoughts were following closely with Katara's. He, too, felt a connection to the cave--especially the crystal room. But he could not place it. It just reached something inside him and made him feel as if anything were possible. Even… his eyes traveled to Katara, but he shook his head. Not everything, he thought.

---

Katara grunted as she dragged one of the unconscious men back towards where Toph was. "You'd think…huff…that Toph would…huff…be better for…huff…something like this."

Zuko nodded his agreement. "Let's make her handle the others."

"Handle what?" Toph demanded, turning the corner.

In relief, Katara let go of the man she had been moving. "This," she replied. Why don't you just scoop them up with some dirt and take them over to where the others are?"

"Where do you think I'm going?" Toph asked. "When you guys left, I figured you might need help." She laughed. "You guys aren't exactly used to heavy lifting."

Zuko growled. "What was that?"

Toph lifted her hands. "Hey, you can't deny the truth." With that, she strolled off.

Scowling, Zuko took a step toward her, but Katara placed her hand on his chest to stop him. "Don't worry about it."

Looking down at Katara's hand, Zuko raised a questioning brow. Blushing furiously, Katara moved to pull back, but Zuko took hold of her, trapping her hand against him. As much as he knew he should not, Zuko wanted to continue feeling her delicate touch.

The two stared at one another for a long moment, the air around them quiet in the dark of the cave. Despite the dim, Katara could clearly see the confusing emotions skittering across Zuko's face--they were the same ones swirling on hers.

The cave seemed to crackle with energy, pressing against Katara and Zuko, driving them closer. It was such a terrible pressure, but neither minded.

Like two magnets, they were drawn towards each other. And this was not the first time. In another cave, years before, they had felt the pull of the same phenomena. Only this time, it was much stronger.

Slowly, Zuko began leaning closer, eyes still locked with Katara's. He couldn't hold back anymore; he needed to kiss her. Just one kiss and he'd have satisfied the strange curiosity building in him. After that, they could return as they had been before.

Zuko brought his other hand around to rest on Katara's back. With one motion, he pulled her towards him so that her lithe body rested against his. He watched her large blue eyes for any clue to her feelings, but he quickly lost himself in their shining depths.

Katara felt her skin heat as she watched Zuko. Her gaze traveled from his eyes to his lips and back again. A roaring began in her ears and all she could hear were the soft breaths coming from Zuko.

Each rise of his chest shuddered through her and Katara shivered. She should not be doing this--she knew it was wrong when she had left things so messy with Aang--but she could not resist Zuko. She felt drawn to him, and at that moment, she wanted nothing more than for the Fire Lord to kiss her.

Zuko's head dipped and his lips brushed over Katara's. Once. Twice. He felt an electric current sizzle through him at the contact and he smiled. "Katara…" He had never tasted lips so sweet.

Katara sighed at the feeling of Zuko's kiss. It left her feeling warm. Sure, she had kissed Aang before, but this was different. She felt Zuko's kisses throughout her very being. They rushed through her like blood.

"All right! Here they are!"

Zuko and Katara jumped apart guiltily as Toph came back into view, a clump of rock following behind her. She dropped the remaining men to the ground.

Suddenly, Toph stopped, noticing how close Zuko and Katara had been. "Did I interrupt something?"

"No!" Katara and Zuko protested immediately. They glanced at one another.

Toph chuckled. Personally, she didn't care. If the two wanted to get together, it meant that Aang and Katara would no longer be together.

As she opened up a hole in a nearby wall, she sighed. The problem was if Aang ever really noticed her. Yes, they were friends, but Aang had only had eyed for Katara. Toph tossed the men into the hole, sealing them up with the others. They would not die--there was another exit--but they would certainly be uncomfortable for a little while.

Trying to cover up the awkwardness between them, Katara stepped away from the firebender and approached Toph. "Zuko thinks there might be something else to these bandits," she said, her voice shaking a bit.

"You mean like how these guys were too wimpy?" Toph asked.

Katara nodded. "Things seem a bit too easy in comparison to the report we heard back at the Palace."

Toph shrugged. "I guess this means we have to fight some more." She grinned fiercely. "Too bad."

Zuko laughed appreciatively. Toph certainly liked a good fight. Of all the benders, earthbenders and firebenders were most alike. Both held a similar passion when it came to fighting. Not that waterbenders could not be as fierce. On the contrary, Zuko knew firsthand just how bloodthirsty the waterbenders could get.

He shuddered as he thought back to the day he had seen Katara blood bend. It had disturbed him in a way that Zuko never thought. From that day on, he had tried to remember just how scary Katara could be.

"Well," Zuko said, suddenly burning with intensity. "We should get moving. Those bandits aren't just going to capture themselves."

Katara shook her head. If they pursued the bandits with even half the determination Zuko had used while hunting Aang, they would get things done in no time.

While they were leaving the caves, Katara brushed her hand against her belt. And froze. Frowning, she patted her waist.

"No, oh no."

"What is it, Sugar Queen?" Toph asked.

"I left my water skin."

"What the big deal with that?" the earthbender demanded, continuing to stroll along. Can't you just get another one?"

Katara shook her head. "I have other water skins, but that's the easiest one to use." She turned to head back into the cave. "I have to find it."

Zuko started after her. "Wait. You can't find your way all by yourself."

Toph sighed and sat down on a nearby boulder. "Well hurry up! I'm hungry."

The two ignored her as they dashed back into the cave. Zuko barely had time to create a flame before Katara was darting into one of the passages. The firebender cursed and rushed after her. She was heading back to the crystal room; she must have lost it there.

Katara felt acutely aware of Zuko running after her, but her mind was on her water skin. It had been with her for years--had even carried her through a number of battles. She had never been able to make another quite as good.

The waterbender entered the crystalline chamber and began searching the ground. It was only when Zuko entered behind her with the light, however, that she spotted the water skin.

The container was lying on the floor next to one of the walls. Its string had snapped, but it looked to be still intact. Katara sighed and crossed the room.

Placing her hand against the wall for balance, Katara bent and picked up the water skin. As she rose, however, she hissed in pain.

"What is it?" Zuko asked, going over to her.

He watched as Katara moved her hand away from the wall, her palm covered in blood. It looked as if she had accidentally scraped her hand against one of the sharper red crystals.

Zuko leaned forward and touched the crystal, but it did not seem so sharp to him. And then he cursed as his finger scraped against a different gem. He watched in fascination as his blood slid down the blue rock to mix with Katara's.

"Here," Katara said suddenly, taking hold of his hand. Already, the cut on her palm had healed.

Zuko smiled as Katara carefully healed his cut. It had been a pretty deep cut, though nowhere near as bad as hers. "Thanks," he said gruffly.

"Don't mention it," Katara replied. When she had reattached her water skin to her belt, she glanced up at him. "Come on; we can't keep Toph waiting."

The Fire Lord nodded and followed Katara out of the cavern. Neither noticed the strange light coming from the crystals, or how their mingled blood disappeared.

* * *

As Aang sat meditating, a sudden feeling took him over. Disturbed, the Avatar opened his eyes and glanced around the room, making sure nothing was amiss. But, when he tried to begin his meditation once more, the feeling persisted.

He frowned as his heart contracted and a sudden sorrow overtook him. Katara's face intruded into Aang's mind and he stilled. Over the years, Aang had learned to never underestimate his Avatar powers--even if new ones arose. And this vision felt true. And so he watched patiently as the scene played out.

In his mind, Aang saw Katara, her hair glimmering in dim firelight. She was as beautiful as ever, but there was a new glow to her, one Aang did not recognize.

He reached out to touch her cool face, but instead found it warm to the touch. Troubled, Aang tried to look around, but his vision would not let him. Instead, he felt his heart contract again before the floor fell out from under him.

With a gasp, Aang opened his eyes, placing his hands firmly on the floor to make sure it was still there. As his hands met cool stone, the Avatar began to wonder just what his vision had meant. About him, and about Katara.

* * *

**So, what did you think? Did you like it? Well, I hope you did, even though it took over a year for this chapter to come out. I promise next chapter will not take quite so long. **

**as always, please review (even if it's just to complain about how long this chapter took to be posted)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Okay, here we are. it's the newest chapter, minus the year-long wait. again, sorry. i feel horrible for abandoning Zutara like that! still, i hope you enjoy this chapter. things are starting to get heated between zuko and katara, but i don't think this'll turn into an M-rated fic. **

**well, here's chapter eleven! i hope you like it!**

**disclaimer: i don't, unfortunately, own avatar: the last airbender. sigh. if only.**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

"So," Toph said as her companions exited the cave, "where to next?"

Zuko looked confused for a moment. "I don't know," he admitted.

With a sigh, Katara asked, "Why don't we just ask some of the people from town?"

"Sounds like a plan, Sugar Queen." Toph rose and pointed in a direction. "But we should go that way."

"But that's in the opposite direction!" Zuko exclaimed.

Toph lowered her arm and shrugged, moving in the direction she had indicated. "If you two want to ask townspeople for some clues, you go right ahead. _I'_m following an actual lead."

"Really?" Katara perked up. "What is it?"

"Someone stole our horses."

There was complete silence for all of a second before Zuko burst out in anger. "WHAT?"

Katara stepped away as the air around Zuko began to heat up. Within moments, the Fire Lord had run off in the direction of their camp. Shaking their heads in odd synchronicity, Katara and Toph followed.

They found Zuko back in the camp, kicking at the remains of their fire. "AARRGHH!" he yelled.

"Zuko, you've got to calm down."

The firebender rounded on Katara, literally shooting sparks at her. "They have all of our supplies!" he shouted. "I _knew_ we should have stayed at the inn, but I had to listen to _you_. Now all my money is gone!"

Toph smirked at Zuko's word and leaned against a nearby tree to enjoy the show.

"Oh, well excuse me, _Your Majesty_!" Katara screamed. "I didn't realize you were stupid enough to leave all your things with the horses!"

"STUPID?" Zuko burst out, taking a step closer. "What do you mean by that, _peasant_?"

Katara laughed. "What do I mean, well shouldn't that be _obvious_? Or is your head too full of hot air?"

"At least I don't have water on the brain!"

"Oh, that is _it_, flame boy. You're going down!"

Katara moved into her fighting stance but was interrupted as the ground rippled. She looked back towards Toph as both she and Zuko were thrown down.

"As much as I'd enjoy letting this continue," Toph said, "the thieves are getting farther away. We don't have time for this."

Both Katara and Zuko looked at each other sheepishly before they remembered they were mad at each other. "Hmph."

"You're wrong you know," Zuko whispered as they started to follow Toph.

"What am I wrong about?" asked Katara sweetly.

Zuko paused, trying to think. He realized, however, that he had lost the argument for the moment.

Abruptly, Toph stopped. Katara paused in order to avoid hitting her, but Zuko ran right into her. The two fell to the ground, with Katara lying inert beneath Zuko. Their faces were close, nearly touching. Their eyes went wide.

Toph turned to them, puzzled. "What are you doing?"

Blushing furiously, Katara and Zuko untangled themselves and jumped up.

"We tripped," Katara mumbled, trying hard not to look at Zuko.

"Okay," Toph said, drawing out the word in doubt. "Anyway, we're never gonna catch these guys just walking after them. We're gonna have to step up the speed."

The waterbender glanced at Toph exasperatedly, though she knew the expression would have no impact. "How do you expect us to do that, Toph? It's not like we have our horses."

"Well, I could just take you guys earth skating."

Both Katara and Zuko paled. They had each taken Toph up on that particular offer before, and each preferred the earth _not_ to move beneath them.

"You know, I think someone should stay back at the camp," Katara said, backing away. "Zuko, why don't you go?"

"No," Zuko protested simply. "I get, uh, earth sick."

"Suit yourselves," Toph said, turning back in the direction of the thieves. "I should be back by sundown. You two can just protect each other back at camp from all the big, bad, nasty earthquakes."

Zuko and Katara grinned at each other. "Sounds fine to me," Katara said.

Toph shook her head as she raised a mound of earth. "You two get no supervision," she muttered. "No funny business!" And then she was off, racing away.

Katara sighed. "We do seem to be left alone a lot." She glanced at Zuko slyly. "This isn't a conspiracy, is it?"

The Fire Lord's face turned crimson and he turned away. "We should get back to camp," he mumbled.

Laughing, Katara followed.

* * *

"You have no idea where we are, do you?"

Sokka glanced back at Suki. "Of course I do," he said, looking around. "We're right here."

"Oh for the love of…" Suki trailed off and shook her head.

Traveling with Sokka was always an adventure. But sometimes, an adventure was just what they _didn't_ need. They were trying to reach the Fire Nation Palace so that she and Sokka could visit Katara before the wedding. Now that she thought about it, however, Suki realized they should have sent a message.

Sokka's face turned suddenly serious. "I know I joke a lot, Suki, but I _do_ know where we're going." His gaze turned dark. "I can't really forget."

Suki shivered. She couldn't forget, either. She had been imprisoned by the Fire Nation and was none too eager to return. But times were different now. The war was over. She had to set an example--for herself, and for everyone back on Kyoshi island.

"I know," the young woman said, suddenly hugging Sokka. After a moment, she pulled away. "Let's have some lunch."

Sokka immediately perked up. "Food?"

The Kyoshi warrior chuckled. "Yeah. Why don't you go find Momo? I'm sure he's dying for something to eat."

"Okay." Sokka started to bound off and then he paused. "Do you think Katara'll be surprised?"

"I'm sure she'll be delighted. You haven't seen her in a while, after all."

* * *

As she and Zuko sat quietly at camp, Katara sighed. Back during the war, she would be busy cooking, cleaning, and running herd on Sokka and Aang. But with Zuko, she fell into a nice, companionable silence. Despite his being the Fire Lord, Zuko had become increasingly undemanding.

She peeked a look at the firebender in question. He had certainly grown more handsome in the past few years. He even gained a few inches in height. His hair was pulled back away from his face, and Katara could see it had gotten a bit longer. And his lips…

Frowning, Katara turned her head away. She needed to come to a definite conclusion regarding Aang, and she needed to do so far from distractions.

With a sigh, Katara stood, startling Zuko. "I'm going to take a little walk," she announced.

Zuko said nothing, merely stared after her. She moved with flowing grace, drawing attention to her lithe figure and gently swaying hips. Her dark hair was bound up in a delicate hair style and Zuko wished suddenly that it would fall.

Shaking his head, Zuko looked away. He knew she still had not come to any decision regarding the Avatar. Frankly, Zuko did not blame her. Aang was always so nice and cheerful, despite the shadows of the war. No one could really compete with him.

He rubbed at his face and turned his attention to the dead campfire. He was starting to get hungry and, remembering how distracted Katara had just seemed, he figured he should find something to eat.

Zuko glanced around the campsite, making sure there was nothing else anyone could steal. Satisfied, he rose and headed off to find some game. Maybe he would be able to catch some good fish; there had been a stream and some pools nearby, he remembered.

He walked for a little while, trying not to think about what had happened in the cave. But his mind rebelled. All he could think about was how soft her lips had been--how soft _she_ had been against him.

Zuko tripped, catching himself on a tree. Scowling, he forced himself to concentrate on finding that stream.

---

Katara wandered for a bit, trying to think about the situation with Aang. But every time, her mind would drift back to the cave. Back to Zuko. She remembered his warmth. And how gentle his kisses were.

Shaking her head, Katara desperately turned her mind back to Aang. She really loved him. But now she wasn't so sure whether she loved him enough to _be_ with him. Certainly, they had been through a lot, but she had always felt something was missing.

She hadn't realized what it was until she kissed Zuko.

Hissing at her own thoughts, Katara shook her head. There was nothing between her and Zuko! Nothing at all.

But… she couldn't ignore how her heart had raced when they kissed. Or how she had wished it would go on.

"Uggh!"

Katara flopped down onto a boulder and looked around. She was near a small stream that led into a series of pools. The surrounding area was littered with trees and rocks, making the spot seem quite private.

The waterbender glanced back towards the water and then down at her stained and dirty hands. It reminded her that she hadn't bathed in over a day. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

As a waterbender, Katara loved the water. And loved being clean. She couldn't be like Toph and roll around in the dirt with some goofy grin. Although, Katara had to admit that sounded more like Sokka.

Rolling her eyes at the thought of her older brother, Katara hopped off her boulder and approached the deepest pool. She checked to make sure no one was near before she pulled off her dress and undergarments.

After laying the clothes on a nearby rock, she waded into the pool. As the water washed over her, she closed her eyes in pleasure. The water was nice and cool, perfect for the hot day. Katara sighed in contentment and moved towards the deeper end.

After a few minutes of just moving about, Katara slipped her head beneath the water and opened her eyes. It was one of her favorite things to do, especially when the sun played in the water, causing ribbons of gold to move along the bottom.

She watched as tiny fish darted around the pool before heading towards the next small body of water. Though the stream ended at the pools, the water still moved between them, creating small currents. The fish traveled through the pools to reach a smaller stream on the opposite side.

Katara stayed under as long as she could before she had to come up for air. In one swift motion, she propelled herself upward and broke the surface of the water.

---

Zuko smiled as he heard the sound of running water. Rounding the bend, he spotted the stream. But, as he reached the water, he felt disappointed. There were no bigger fish here, only small ones.

Frowning, Zuko decided to head upstream a bit. Maybe there, in the cooler water, would be something larger to appease his appetite.

But, as he traveled upstream, it became apparent that the thing thinned out considerably. Scowling, he turned to try and find something else to catch, only to stop when he heard some splashing.

Puzzled, Zuko moved towards the sound. Perhaps there was an animal nearby. His mouth watered at the thought. It wasn't an animal that he saw, however, when he peered around a nearby boulder.

At the sight of Katara's bare back, Zuko ducked back behind the boulder. His heart was pounding furiously, and he suddenly wanted nothing more than to bathe. With her.

Shaking his head vigorously, Zuko swore he was not going to look. But the admonishment came too late as he peeked back around the large rock.

He watched, mesmerized, as Katara splashed in the water, sending tiny, sparkling beads to cascade down her smooth back. Her hair was unbound, falling in wet curls past her shoulder, giving Zuko the urge to run his fingers through it.

Suddenly, Katara turned and Zuko fell back, hiding once more. He could feel his face turning bright red and he closed his eyes, trying not to see the vision of Katara's extremely nice body. But closing his eyes only made the image stronger.

Hissing out a breath, Zuko dashed back the way he came. He figured he didn't want food so badly. And it was true. After seeing Katara, he was filled with a different hunger.

As he ran, Zuko flashed through all the different firebending postures, trying everything not to think about Katara. He _shouldn't _be thinking about Katara that way. Not at all. It was bad enough he had kissed her in the caves, but the kiss had been to satisfy his curiosity--not make it stronger.

He groaned. Nothing was helping. He only hoped Katara wouldn't come back to camp too quickly.

---

Katara turned as she heard a noise, but found nothing was there. Shrugging her shoulders, Katara looked back towards her clothes. It was time she got out anyway. The day might be hot, but she did not need to catch chill in the water.

In a good mood from her little bath, Katara smiled as she got out of the pool and bended the remaining water from her skin and hair. Shivering a little, she dressed hurriedly and began to head back to camp.

The water had been quite refreshing and Katara felt her mind was clearer for it. She realized, sadly, that she could not possibly continue on with Aang. It was not fair to either of them. Especially when she could not love him the same way he loved her. He deserved better.

But her decision regarding Aang still did not give her leave to go around kissing other people. Especially not _Zuko_. That, more than anything, would hurt Aang. And it could strain an already tenuous bond between the Fire Lord and the Avatar.

Not that she was considering kissing Zuko again, that is.

A sigh escaped Katara and she gently ran her fingers through her hair. She could not really lie to herself. Especially not when she kept remembering the kiss she and Zuko shared. She wanted so desperately to repeat the action, but she knew she should refrain from doing so. Especially when she didn't know Zuko's feelings on the matter.

As she got closer to camp, Katara could swear it was getting hotter. And then she spotted the leaping flames. Without thinking, Katara pulled some water from her water skin and threw it towards the fire. Only when she heard an angry curse did she realize Zuko had been training.

"Sorry," she said, hurrying over to him.

Zuko swung around to yell at Katara, only to stop in silence, a furious blush creeping over his cheeks. He closed his mouth quickly, knowing he looked like a gaping fish, and cast his gaze to the ground.

Katara frowned at Zuko's strange behavior and moved closer, tilting her head to try and catch his gaze. "Zuko? Are you okay?"

The Fire Lord moved his head to avoid her gaze and turned to sit down. "Yeah," he muttered.

Ambassador Katara looked on in disbelief for a moment. And then her temper began to rise. "Look, Zuko, I said I was sorry. You don't have be a jerk."

"I said it was fine!" Zuko said forcefully, before blushing wildly again. Why could he get the image of her from his head? It had only been her back--and a fleeting glimpse of something _else_--for Agni's sake!

The waterbender crossed her arms over her chest, inadvertently drawing Zuko's tortured attention. "Obviously it's not fine, or you wouldn't be acting like this."

Zuko stared at her for a moment and then abruptly stood. "I'm going to find something to eat," he declared, before rushing off.

Katara looked at the spot Zuko had been in confusion. _What is going on with him_?

* * *

**so, what'd you think? did you like it? i hope so. **

**i want to thank those who reviewed chapter 10 (i know i didn't deserve it! T.T): here's to (for right now) Miyuki88, The-Blind-Bandit-112, and SilverStella. thanks for sticking with this fanfic!**

**please review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**MAJOR, MAJOR EDIT HERE, GUYS!!! SOMEONE JUST INFORMED ME I LIFTED SOME LINES OFF STEPHENIE MEYER (HAVEN'T READ THE TWILIGHT SERIES IN AGES, DIDN'T MEAN TO DO IT!), SO I'M HERE TO GIVE CREDIT (thanks onna, for letting me know. you're pretty quick on this stuff) TO STEPHENIE MEYER FOR THE ORIGINAL LINE, BUT I'VE CHANGED IT, SO I HOPE IT'S ALL GOOD NOW**

**hi! it's yet another chapter! this one is a little shorter than the last two, but i hope you'll enjoy it!**

**disclaimer: i don't own avatar: the last airbender.**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

Katara sighed. Zuko was sure taking his time. As was Toph, for that matter. Glancing up at the sky, the waterbender grimaced. Dark, ominous clouds were beginning to roll in and, while she liked the rain, this particular storm looked nasty. Not only that, but the sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the campsite.

_What's taking Toph so long?_

Quite suddenly, someone dropped a pair of hares in front of her. Surprised, Katara looked up to see Zuko had come back. His excursion had not really improved his mood, though, as he still avoided her gaze.

Maybe he was just not up to talking. They _had_ argued earlier, after all. Not to mention the fact that Katara had been just as moody earlier. But, after coming to a firmer decision about Aang, Katara felt lighter. But now Zuko was brooding. She just couldn't win.

Katara watched as he relit the campfire and set the hares up to cook. She smiled at the sight of Zuko being so self sufficient. Within moments, however, Katara's mouth was watering. She realized she had not eaten since that morning and she was hungry.

Taking another look at the sky, Katara moved to crouch next to Zuko. She tried not to notice how he shifted away. Did he regret their kiss, then?

"We'd better eat these quick," she told him. "There's a storm coming."

Zuko hardly spared Katara a glance. "You can keep the water off of us, though," he pointed out. He studied the darkening sky. He hoped the food was ready, or they'd be eating it a bit rare.

"Yeah, but it takes a lot of effort."

"Oh." The Fire Lord poked at the hares to see if they were done. Satisfied they had cooked long enough, he took them off the spit and presented one to Katara. Still his eyes did not meet hers. He couldn't look at her when his mind was already full of her image.

"Here," he said gruffly, moving away.

Katara looked down at the food, mouth suddenly dry. _Why is he ignoring me?_ Shaking her head, she began to eat. The meat was surprisingly good and made Katara appreciate the Fire Nation leader just a bit more.

When they had finished their food, the two sat in awkward silence. Katara frowned, wondering what could possibly be wrong. Certainly she had not done anything wrong. At least, she didn't _remember_ doing anything wrong.

Suddenly, anger welled up, and she jerked her head up to glare at Zuko. "What is your _problem_?" she hissed. "I can understand if you regret what happened in the cave, but that's no reason to treat me like I'm unworthy of your attention."

Zuko stiffened in shock. His golden eyes wide, he stared at Katara. "You think I _regret_ what happened in the cave?" he asked softly, incredulously.

"Of course. It's written all over your face, Zuko."

Without a word, he rose and stalked across the campsite to jerk Katara upwards. "I don't regret anything from _that_ cave," he growled. A second later, he grabbed hold of her and pressed his lips against hers.

Surprised, Katara gasped, accidentally allowing Zuko to deepen the kiss. Katara's mind went blank and she slid her arms around behind Zuko's neck. She slid closer, a small moan escaping her.

At the sound, Zuko pulled her closer, leaving no space between them. She tasted like the sweetest drink, drawing him in until he was addicted. Growling low in his throat, he ran his hands down her back.

They both pulled away for a moment, their breathing heavy. Zuko smiled and pressed his forehead against hers. "See?"

Katara didn't even know what he was talking about, but she nodded her head anyway.

Zuko smirked and leaned in for another kiss. Just at that moment, however, there was a flash of lightning and the skies opened.

Still a little disoriented from the kiss, Katara did not react fast enough to keep the rain from drenching them. Sending Zuko an apologetic smile, she took his hand and ran down the path.

"Where are we going?"

Katara glanced behind her. "To the caves. I can't keep this much rain away from us for long."

As they ran, Katara breathed a sigh of relief. It was a good thing the rain had started when it did, or she might have continued kissing Zuko. In fact, she knew she _would_ still be kissing him.

She shook her head. His kiss had been so wonderfully addictive. Even then, Katara wanted to turn around and kiss him, though they were getting drenched.

When they reached the caves, the two fell to the floor in relief. After a moment, as their breathing slowed, they began to laugh. The ridiculousness of their situation hit them and they could not help their reactions. After all, they had journeyed to rid a village of bandits and in the process had been robbed. Not only that, but they were now waiting out a storm in a cave, hoping their blind friend could return their horses.

They stayed like that for a long moment, just enjoying the moment, and then Zuko stood. He held out his hand. "Come on, let's get farther in."

Katara nodded and took hold of Zuko, letting him pull her up. The brief contact sent her heart racing and she could feel the blush staining her cheeks, but Katara ignored the feeling. They needed to get away from the entrance of the cave and get dry.

She smiled. Getting dry was easy enough. Waving a hand, Katara bended the water from their clothes and hair, flinging it back into the downpour. Zuko grinned.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome," Katara replied. "But it's up to you to keep us warm."

A wicked smile appeared on Zuko's face as he thought of the implications that brought up, but then he pushed it away. This was no time to be thinking about things like that. He really did need to get Katara warmed up; her hand was freezing.

* * *

Aang woke up, his heart aching. He tried to remember his dream, but he couldn't. All he knew was that it felt as if Katara had been slipping away from him.

Shuddering, Aang cuddled up closer to Appa. "You won't leave me, will you boy?" he asked, petting the flying bison. Appa yawned and blinked at Aang.

"Great," the Avatar muttered. "Not even Appa is promising anything."

Aang sighed as he looked up at the stars. He really loved Katara and had since he first laid eyes on her. But, for a while now he had felt her withdraw a bit. It was why he had asked her to marry him. Now he wasn't entirely sure whether that had been the best course of action or not. Was it better for him to fight for her? Or should he let her go?

* * *

Once again, Zuko and Katara ended up in the crystal chamber. This time, however, neither had their eyes on the brilliant display.

Katara was beginning to slow, still cold from the rain. Zuko glanced at her, concerned, before helping her to lay down. Noticing she was beginning to shake, the firebender looked around for anything to build a fire. Unfortunately, there was nothing to be found. And going out to look for firewood was pointless in the rain.

Zuko rubbed at his face at he thought about what to do. Finally, seeing no other option, he lay down next to Katara and drew her into his arms.

Shivering uncontrollably, Katara burrowed into Zuko, trying to get as much of his heat as she could. As his arms tightened, Katara rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. Being held by him was nice.

Zuko pressed his cheek against Katara's head and took a deep breath. He had meant only to begin heating the air around them, but her scent--especially after the rain--was intoxicating. The Fire Lord closed his eyes and concentrated on just breathing. He could not pay attention to how Katara's every curve pressed up against him, or how she seemed to fit perfectly in his arms.

Katara sighed as her body began to warm. Without thinking, she snuggled closer, moving her body against Zuko's.

As Katara slid against him, Zuko inwardly cursed. If she continued to move like that, he would not be responsible for what happened afterward. Already, he could think of nothing but her, nothing but continuing the kiss the rain had interrupted.

The waterbender moved again and Zuko groaned. Unable to take it anymore, he pulled back and gently tipped Katara's head back. His golden eyes searched her blue ones for a long moment before he sighed.

"Go to sleep Katara," he whispered huskily.

Katara frowned, suddenly on the verge of tears. Zuko was just taking care of her. So why did she feel so…_rejected_? It wasn't as if there was anything between them. Well, nothing besides the strange desires Katara felt.

Plucking up her courage, Katara whispered, "Zuko?"

Zuko's eyes widened as Katara closed the distance between them. "Don't tell me what to do," she told him fiercely. And then she kissed him.

At first, he was shocked. And then Zuko smiled inwardly. It wasn't long before he was kissing her back with fervor. A little voice in the back of his mind asked how far this would really go, but Zuko pushed it away. All that mattered was the girl kissing him so passionately.

He broke the kiss. "Katara?" he asked, unable to voice the rest of his question.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay with this?"

Katara stared at Zuko for a minute, wondering. And then she answered.

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**O.O**

**what did Katara say? I guess you'll have to find out; sorry about the cliffie. But i hoep you liked the chapter! did you? i know it was shorter, but Katara and Zuko have certainly gotten closer...**

**please review, even if it's just to point out something you disliked. **

**incredible thanks to onna, once more, for mentioning the little regret scene. *bows down* nice catch**


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